All of the Stars
by timeladyelf
Summary: She was a princess, a long time ago in a kingdom destroyed by a dragon. Since then, she had been traveling, living here and there, never staying for too long. For a long time the stars were her only companions, guiding her, leading her never astray. Now, ancient forces have been awakened by the enemy. When the stars are veiled, who shall watch your steps?
1. Chapter 1: I see Fire

**Hey everyone!I'd like to say that this is my first attempt at lotr fanfic, so please, be nice. Also, my first languageis not english,so i apologize for any mistake, feel free to point them out. Aaaand, I'm in my last year in school so I have to study a lot and won't have that much time to write. That's all I think, enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lotr or the hobbit or whatever.**

* * *

She saw fire.

She saw the trees burning around her, the houses of her people being burned to the ground. Centuries of work being ruined in matters of hours.

There was nothing she could do to help, and really, there wasn't anything her father could either. They had tried to flee, to leave it all behind when the wind had brought the smell of smoke and death, when the whispers of the trees had risen to loud screams of pain and then to a deadly silence. They'd tried. But it was too late, far too late. The flames had been already high in the sky, almost outshining the sun. It took seconds for the fire to reach their city and the inferno to start, because the flames of a dragon are cursed, and their reach are far and wide.

Her people had lived inside the forest for milemnias, ever since the Great Journey and the Sundering of the elves. They had been so blended to the forest that few had known of their kingdom, true, it had never been a great one, but still, it had had great wealth, for a Silvan dwelling. And she had been their Crown Princess.

Yes, she was an elleth. And yes, the right to rule was

to be bestowed upon her. It wasn't very common amongst Men and Noldor, but for the Avari and Silvan folk it was an ordinary thing.

"Raunín!"

The shout that brought her back to reality came from the captain of their small party. They were from the Grey Havens, sent by Círdan to ask council from Lord Elrond, and since she had dwelt long enough in the Falas, she had come along for a stay in the Hidden Valley.

" Raunín! You'd better watch your way." Olochen, the captain adviced in hushed tones. "We're still a day's march from Imladris and evil lurks in the shadows."

" I will." She answered with a huff. " It's just this damn rain that's not helping at all."

" It must pass soon enough, the power of Lord Elrond's ring is strong."

"Well, anytime now would be great." Raunín shot back annoyed, but received only a laugh.

She found it really ironic, though, that it was not the fire or the heat that reminded her of the tragedy, but the rain. It was the storm ragging over their heads that brought the memories afloat. It was the cold tiny drops of water that burned her skin like hell alll over again. It was so much easier to pretend to be somebody else who's scared of nothing and chased their own demons when Anor's high in the sky than when the world seemed to be falling upon them.

" The rain's stoping. See? All in its own time." The captain appeared at her side again, looking way too pleased with himself.

" Very well. But we're still completely soaked."

" Indeed, how perceptive of you. "

" Now, there's no need to sarcasm her-"

"Darto!" Olochen was on alert, followed by the rest of the company in seconds. " Hush everyone."

Then, they rather heard it than see it. The two shadows approaching them, silent and furtive, only the soft hustle of the leaves giving away their presence.

The first though that crossed Raunín's mind was red lights flashing and sirens going crazy, screaming 'danger', 'Yrch'. But a more racional corner of her brain argued that the shadows were too silent and too slim to be orcs. The 'danger' alerts still rang clear in her pointy ears, though, in times like these and so close of Dol-guldûr, yrch wasn't the only ones to be feared.

" Who is it that dared to trespass Lord Elrond's lands?" One of the shadows asked, close enough for a sillhouette to be seen. "Identify yourselves before entering the Last Homely House, are you friend or foe?"

" I'm Captain Olochen Tonkarion, we're from the Grey Havens. Lord Cýrdan sent us to seek advice from your Lord."

" Very well, then." The same one spoke again, stepping out of the dark with his companion.

"Welcome to the Hidden Valley of Imladris, the Last Homely House. My name's Elladan and this is my brother, Elrohir. We're the twins sons of Lord Elrond."

To say that they were shocked would be the understatement of the year. It was common knoledge that the princes of Imladris were hunting orcs ever since their mother passing to Valinor, but actually meeting them ramdomly in the forest was another completely different matter. Elladan and Elrohir were indeed very alike, with the fair and ageless faces of the Eldar and a more solid, less ethereal, body. They had the same dark hair and the same grey eyes, although one had a clearer, lighter, shade of grey in Raunín's opinion .

" It's a pleasure to meet you, my lords." Olochen bowed respectfully, being again followed by the rest of the company.

" You're heading to the Great House, right?" One of the twins, she still wasn't sure wich, spoke up. " Well then, I suggest we all ride the rest of the way together. It's becoming dangerous here and we are all taking the same path, anyway. What do you say, captain?"

" If no one is against it," he waited for everyone to nod their agreements. "I say, we could use the company."

" That's settled then!" The darker-eyed one entusiasticall

y nodded. " I will be back with our horses in a minute."

That's when she felt it. That burning sensation of being watched. She lifted her eyes to find the curious gaze of the remaining twin. He was openly staring at her, studying her, like she was some new animal to be identified and learned about. Raunín held his eyes steadily, doing her best to hide the anxiety bubbling up in her chest. She hated it, being watched so intently. He could reconigze her, or start making too much questions or find out the truth. And that would be unpleasent to say the least.

So she kept their little match, wating for him to back down, to surrender. It didn't matter whose son he was, the twin was being rude and she wasn't going to let it go so easily.

"Raunín?" The captain poked her.

" Aye?"

" You are staring at Lord Elrohír." _Oh. So this is Elrohír. Gotta remember who's who. "_ That's rude of you."

" Actually, he is staring at me," the twin frowned and so did she. There was no way she was going to lose it. " So, that's rude of him."

" You are acting like a five year old kid." She didn't have to look to know that he was rolling his eyes. " Just quit it! It's unnerving. It's like watching two dangerous animals circling each other."

" Oh believe me, mellon nin, i can be quite dangerous and so does he, i'm sure."

" I know," he sighed " and that's unnerving."

He just huffed and walked away, leaving her to focus on the young lord. And it would probably have gone for hours, hadn't Elladan come back and called for his brother. They fumbled with the horses a little before approaching their party again.

" Everyone ready?" The older twin raised his eyebrows and received quiet nods in response. " Let's go then, shall we?"

The young lords rode side by side, leading the way, with Olochen and Raunín close behind and the rest of the company few feets away. She wasn't sure how long they had walked before the twins fell in a slower pace and approached them. Not that she was that happy about it. She was, thought.

" I see you didn't find shelter during the rain." Elladan smiled.

" No, we didn't." Olochen answered quietly. " It caught us off guard. Did you?"

" Aye, we had already reached Adar's borders." " Lucky you." Raunín spoke up. " Rain is quite the understatement. It was more like a raging storm, the end of the world or something."

" You are not really fond of rains, I guess." The older twin laughed. " I don't think i know your name, sun-lover."

" My name is Raunín, " the less they know, the better. " And if you must know, I'm not too fond of frying either."

" You're complicating things, Raunín." He spoke slowly, as if trying it. " No rain, no sun. What's left for you to like then?"

" The snow." She explain. " It will not burn me right away, it will not leave me soaked in seconds, it will just be cool. It's plain and beautiful and fun."

" Yeah, but it will eventually get you soaked, you will end up frostbitten if you're not careful and freeze you to death." Elrohír, who had not opened his mouth until now, smirked. _How... annoying._

" Well, yes. But are you always this optimist? It's almost contagious."

" Well, yes. But ate _you_ always this sarcastic?" And there was that smirk again.

She just rolled her eyes and mentally counted to ten, it would be of no use for them to punch him in the face. They still had a day ahead to reach the house itself.

It would be a long journey.

-;;;;-


	2. Chapter 2- Things We Lost in the Fire

_**N/A: Omg i' m so sorry for the wait! School has caught up and life happened and everything was standing on the way! I hope you like this, and please, bear with me and my silly mistakes and poor writing and incredible delay. :3**_

_**Enjoy, xx**_

_-;;-_

_"She was running._

_It was dark and the trees were dead still. She had no idea where she was or where to go, but she kept running. She ran until her lungs were burning and her legs shaking. She ran until her body gave up and she collapsed on the ground with a heavy thud. _

_She weakly rolled to her back, her burns sending a jolt of pain through her veins. She opened her eyes and looked up at the sky. Still, no stars to be seen._ _That was it, she was going to die right there. Alone, forgotten. _

_Where was 'there' anyway?_

_She had no idea. She barely remembered finding one of the gates and then reaching the forest. Everything was a confusing blur, the screams ringing in her ears and the burns in her arms and back starting to hurt. Each breath were becoming more and more painful, the end was near. If she was honest to herself, it was only fair that she died too. At least she would be joining her parents and her people, finally answering the call of the Valar. _

_A scream escaped her mouth as another jolt of searing pain pierced her body. _

_And suddenly, a cascade of blonde hair appeared above her. _

_The ellon seemed to be saying something. She tried to tell him she couldn't understand, but her mouth wouldn't respond to her. The stranger looked behind him briefly, probably calling someone, she wondered who, before picking her up._

_The last thing she acknoledged was his blue eyes and his scent of leaves and rain."_

Raunín woke up with the taste of ash in her mouth and the marks of dried tears in her cheeks.

_-;-_

She wasn't exactly sure why the nightmares were back, it had been years since the last ones plagued her. Maybe it was the proximity with the lands she used to call home. Or maybe she was just going crazy. Well, it wouldn't be such a surprise.

_" You'_re thinking too much" Olochen offered her lembas. He seemed to always know her 'deep thinking' look. Or when she was hungry. "What's bothering you?"

_" _Nothing important." She answered before changing the subject. " When do we leave?"

_" _Right now, actually. I came to wake you up."

_"_ Oh. Okay then." Raunín thanked the Valar for that. The earlier, the better. " All's packed and ready to go."

" Someone's not a morning person, I see." Elrohir looked all too pleased for her to be confortable.

_T_he only answer he got was an affirmative huff.

_" _How long until we reach your father's house?" She asked him.

_" _Half a day, I think." He looked up at the sun. " We should get there around midday."

_" _Good. " She sighed. Elves were supposed to be tireless but this damn journey was starting to get the best of her. Raunín desperatly needed a good shower and a soft bed to sleep in. Gods be good, once they reached the house she would sleep for days. Weeks, maybe.

" So, how is life like in the Havens?" Elrohir asked beside her.

" Good." She didn't even turn to face him. " Food, a roof and the sea. Good. "

" And... how is... the sea?"

" Wet."

" _Oh, come on! _I'm trying to be friendly here but you're not helping at all!" He scowled.

" Well, the sea_ is_ wet, though." She smirked.

" Okay, listen." He kept his horse beside her's. " Why don't we start again?"

" What do you mean?"

" Yeah, apparently we have not behaved properly lately." He rolled his eyes. " So let's start this... _us..._ again. Make it right this time."

_" It'_s ridiculous." She looked at his puppy-wide-grey eyes. "... fine."

" Great!" He beamed at her. " Mae govannen. I'm Elrohír from Imladris."

" Mae govannen, lord Elrohír. I'm Raunín."

_" _Raunín from where?"

_" _From that's none of your business. _My lord."_

_"_ Okay, okay. Touchy subject, I get it." He frowned at her.

Raunín prayed he would drop it and stay silent...

_" _So, how is life like in the Havens?"

_..._ but of course she would not be so lucky.

_" _Truly? Boring as hell."

_" _You kidding?"

_" _No, really! It stinks dead fish and salt all the time. And there is that cursed gulls crying all day, it makes you want to be deaf." She couldn't help complaining about that place. It wasn't her home, it was barely a livable place. More like a living hell for someone used to quiet forests and flowers everywhere like her.

_" _You really aren't from there, are you?" He smiled. " If any of these sea-lovers catch you talking like this, they'd probably behead you."

_" _At least I wouldn't have to smell the fish or hear the damn gulls anymore." She mumbled.

_" _And what brings you to Imladris?"

_" _Lord Cýrdan asks councel of your father," Raunín replied quickly. " Some disturbing rumours have been heard in the harbors and it left him... _unsettled._"

_" _You see, this is why this whole party has left the Grey Havens, true," Elrohír lowered his voice. " But I asked why have _you_ come here."

_"_ I have come for that exact reason. To seek help from Lord Elrond."

All he did was shake his head. Elrohír hadn't bought it, but she was glad he let it go. For now, at least. Raunín watched in silence as the yonger twin set off ahead, reaching his brother a few meters above in the narrow road and Olochen popped up beside her.

_" _Did it hurt?"

_" What? " _

_" _Talking to him, you know, in a civilized grown-up manner. Did it hurt? Did you lose a limb or something?"

_" _Very funny." She glared darkly at him. " No, I'm perfectly fine. It's a pity we cannot say the same for you. After all, falling off a horse must cause _a lot_ of pain."

_" _But I didn't..."

_"Yet." _The elleth smiled sweetly. " Be careful, we have not arrived yet. Anything and everything could still happen."

_"_ Sometimes I wonder how something so small like you can be so scary." The captain shook his head.

_" _I'm not small. I'm just... shorter than the average. _Spiders_ are small and scary."

_" _True, but they have eight legs and weird number of eyes and everything about them says 'stay the hell away'."

_" _Yes, but they are like the devil incarnated so it is only fair."

_" _You do know they are more scared than you, right?"

_" That _is only bullshit. I'm sure they keep laughing at us."

_"_ But spiders are smaller than your _hand."_

" Indeed, and there size says 'oh, look at me, I _can_ be tiny, I have some slow-painful-death poison'. And you're forgetting the giant spiders in Mirkwood. They are _way _bigger than my hand."

-;-;;;;-

Olochen rolled his eyes, that conversation was making no sense and had completely changed subjects. It annoyed him sometimes, how Raunín would always avoid talking about herself or her home. Or her feelings. He had had to learn how to read, how to see what she really meant and when to leave it be. But damn it, it was like completing a puzzle without all the pieces, no matter what, he was always coming up short of something.

_"_ Look!" Raunín's excited voice broke his chain of thoughts. "We're finally here!"

The sight of the Great House of the Hidden Valley of Rivendell was mesmerizing to say the least. The building was as ethereal as its people, with beautiful gardens everywhere and waterfalls half-hidden in the woods surrounding the area, the wind brought the scent of rain and forest and _peace_, it made the leaves whistle and the birds fly away. Perfect. Actually, way too perfect. It was the kind of perfection that made her wonder what would be coming up next, what was lurking in those _perfect_ shadows, waiting to destroy that _perfect _peace. Just like her home, before everything. That peaceful stillness would forever put her on the edge, because nothing could really be like that, unless it was dead or waiting for its doom.

"_ Things we lost to the flames, things we'll never see again. All that we've amassed sits before us, shattered into ash."_

_**N/A: **_**Sooo i' m really really really terribly sorry for the delay! Everything was crazy lately and i haven' t had time to so much as breath! Buuut i'm hoping it will change and i'll have some time to write something, so yeah, no promises. Hope you liked this chapter **

_**R**_**eviews? Any suggestions, anyone still reading this?**


	3. Chapter 3- Demons

_**N/A: Hey folks! I'm back! Life's still a mess but here you go. I hope you like it. **_

_-';:;:;:;'-;;::::;;;;;-_

_Rain. _

_There it was, the same scent again, of rain and leaves and forest._

_She wasn't fully awake yet. She was... floating between awareness and darkness. It felt as if she was surrounded by water, the voices all coming muffled and distant, only half words of a conversation she barely registered._

" ... - _think she is?"_

"_I really don't know. Found her like this-..."_

_Pain. _

_Her back and arms ached terribly, both awakening and driving her to the point of unconciousness. She just wanted it to stop. Just make it stop._

" ...- _father has sent for you! Dale has been attacked and the Dwarves' Kingdom has fallen!"_

" _What?! How is it possib-..."_

_Tired. _

_So, so painfully tired. Her entire body seemed sore and just plainly tired, like all of her energy had been drained. Somewhere in her mind she knew she had been drifting on and off conciousness. She was just too tired to care._

" _...- dragon!"_

"_ It can't be! The scouts must be mistaken!"_

" _I'm afraid not. There's no doubt, ernilen. The dwarves are gone, since your father denied them both an army and shelter. Whatever is left of the village-..."_

_Alive. _

_She was alive. The pain was gone, replaced by a soreness in her limbs and a dry mouth. She briefly wondered what time it was, but soon dismissed the thought, since her previous state made time feel like nothing, stretching it to forever and back to seconds ago. _

_Her senses came back in waves, her body slowly remembering how to function, bringing sounds and smells together like pieces of a puzzle. But a puzzle could not be completed without the missing pieces, she was still in the dark. She needed to open her eyes._

_But suddenly, she wasn't so sure anymore. Fear and slight panic bubbled in her chest. Where was she? Why wasn't she dead? Who brought her there? Why? How long had she slept? _

_Opening her eyes would mean acknowledging her situation and facing whatever answer she would find, either for the best or for the worse. And she didn't know if she was ready or not. _

_She took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside her down. The illusion of safety the darkness brought her would be of no use. Ignorancy was sweet and welcoming, but below all those layers there was too much risks. And she couldn't afford any risk. So she swallowed down the bile rising in her throat and ignored the cold feeling of panic washing over her before finally opening her eyes._

_A foreign room. That was the first and stupidly obvious conclusion she made. There was little to no light in the wooden place, with mostly torches as source of trembling illumination, giving it an almost scary appearence. It had to be the healer's room, she realized, full of bottles and plants and empty beds. And surrounded by ancient books and dust and nothing, she never felt so alone._

_She looked for water, but her eyes were still adjusting to the faint light and a headache clouded her mind._

" _You look terrible."_

_Rain and leaves and forest and blue eyes again._

-;;;;;;-

This time she woke up with the smell of the rain pouring outside and the salty taste of tears and the bitter feeling of missing. (She may not have woken up in a foreign room, but she did feel utterly alone.)

-;;;;;;;-

The rain had already stopped and Anor was shining brightly in the sky when Raunín emerged from her room, taking a seat at the lower tables. The elleth was pretty satisfied at where she was, at the corner of the room, with her breakfast in front of her. Maybe the day could turn out to be a good one, after all.

" It was about time!" Elrohir's cheerful voice startled her. " You've been asleep for like centuries!"

"Yeah, well, try to travel all the way from the coast until here." She spoke between wolfing down the food. "I could use some naps. "

"Sorry to break this for you, but your captain has been looking for you all morning."

"I guessed this much, there are things to be discussed with your father." She sighed, before his words caught up to her. "Wait, what do you mean 'all morning'? What time is it?"

"It's half before noon. " the young lord laughed. "You slept for quite a good time!"

Raunín swore under her breath. She had promised to meet up with Olochen before he talked to Lord Elrond, but now she was late.

"If it makes you feel better, my father has called off all of his meetings this afternoon and in the next two days."

It didn't. She wasn't sure if it was the hard edge on his voice, the slight clenching of the jaw or the subtle tensing of his shoulders that gave her a sense of unease , and she wondered that there must be more to his casual small talk than it showed. ( Later, she would reach the conclusion that it was his eyes that gave him away. Always the eyes. )

"At least time isn't an issue anymore." She carefully spoke. "But why did your father called them off? Is everything alright?"

A sudden feeling of dread forebolding clenched at her heart at his hesitation. "It's just... the enemy has been creeping closer and closer to our borders, their numbers are growing in a scaring pace and they are stronger than ever. It... " His voice faltered. "... it only happened once before and brought us great sorrow. My father has gone this morning with my brother and Lord Glorfindel to check some new information."

"The enemy is bolder. Something is happening, helping them. " she was slightly disturbed by the news. It was too much for such an hour in the morning. Or afternoon. Whatever. " The question is, who or what?"

"No," he shook his head sadly. "The real question is _when?"_

-;;;;;;;:;-;-

"You know, I should've seen that coming." Olochen said as soon as the elleth literally ran into him in one of the many gardens.

"Seen what?" She panted, trying to catch her breath.

"You not showing up."

"Hm, about that, i'm so sorry, mellon nin." She at least had the decency of looking ashamed. "I meant to wake up earlier but..."

"It's fine. Like I said, I should have seen that coming. " he laughed, " Anyway, the meeting has been canceled."

"Yes, I heard about that." They sat at one of the benches. "What do you think is going on?"

"What do you mean?"

" I mean, the orcs are attacking more and more often. Their number is getting bigger. " Raunín sighed. "Something is happening. Something _evil._"

"Don't be ridiculous. They are just getting more stupid and showing off. " Olochen smiled softly, " I know you worry, but everything is as it should be. Lord Elrond shall come back soon enough, bearing reassuring news."

"I hope you are right, my friend." _I really do, _she thought. "So, how do you feel about some training?"

"Well, I feel like kicking your ass."

"Oi! Language!"

-;;;;:;:::;-

"That was _so_ unfair!"

Raunín was left panting on the hard ground trying to stop laughing. Tickling her was _so_ cheating!

"C'mon loser, you may have had late breakfast, but we, poor peasents, had to wake up with the sun and are starving." Olochen helped her up. Lunch was in one hour and they still had to freshen way, way up. The quick sparing had left them both covered with dust and sweat, definitly in need of a bath, but the huge grins on their faces showed how much it was worth it.

They walked in companiable silence until their rooms, wich were near each other. The elleth stared at his closed door, trying to figure out exactly when and how she had managed to make such a good friend, a _brother. _Olochen had been the first to welcome her at the Grey Havens, bringing her to Cyrdan and speaking in her favor. He had been just a scout at the time, but somehow managed to find her some space in the patrols. In retrospective, he gave her the opportunite of a new life without ever asking questions. Not even once did he doubt her good will or a thing about her past, he simply took her word in the matter and waited for the time she felt comfortable to tell him the whole story. She kind of felt bad for lying to him, like she was betraying him or something, but she just could _not_ tell himor _anyone._

Raunín shook her head, there was no point in dwelling on that matter, the past was dead and gone._ Literally._

-;;:;;:;;;;;-

Lunch passed over without any news of Lord Elrond, making Elrohir fidget in his armchair in the library. His father had been reluctant to leave, not wanting to believe in the rumors, and the younger twin suspected he only hurried to go check information to delay whatever news Cyrdan had sent.

The young elf turned a page of his book angrily. It drove him mad to think that everyone seemed to be fooling themselves with some sort of illusion of peace. What they were living was most definitly _not_ peace. It was just a break, some time given to mourn their dead and plan another strike. While they were all going with their lives with a blind eye for the enemy, the enemy did not turn a blind eye for them. It was a matter of time until these dark forces decided they had run out of time and the break was over.

He flipped another page.

But he knew better. He and his brother had been fighting orc's hordes since his mother's... _passing._ True, it had been less of an act of bravery and more out of vengeance, but their hunts had forced them to face the truth, that the number of orcs were growing, they were becoming more organized and less frightened. Elladan had tried arguing with his father and Erestor, but it was proved useless, though the latter's eyes showed more understanding than Elrond's carefully blank face.

He flipped another page.

It was rather frustrating that their ages made them unrelieble sources, too young to work the world out and-...

"What has the book done for you?" Erestor's voice echoed through the shelves.

"Nothing really. "

"And yet you turn its page as if it had attempted to murder you."

"Well, it _did _almost bore me to death" Elrohir smirked.

"Fair enough."

Elrohir sighed as the older elf sat in the armchair in front of him, it wasn't that he didn't like Erestor, he just wasn't in the mood for talking.

"You've been here since lunch."

"Yes, you know, there was this book I wanted to read, so..." he trailed off.

"The very same book you just complained?"

"Aye?"

"I see." The counsellor flipped through a random book with a perfect calculated casualness. "You know, I was wondering how long are you and your brother planning to stay this time?"

"I don't know. We didn't really think about it." Elrohir was suspicious of the change of subjec, he felt like a trap was being set. "Are you sending us away?"

"Far from it, penneth." Erestor actually smiled. Wich, if you know the elf, means you should be scared. "I only assumed you would leave shortly, as the two of you have been doing for the past years."

"Fine, I'm sorry. I know Elladan and I have been a bit _absent_ lately, but-..."

"That's a rough understatement, mellon nin."

"...- I am actually thinking of settling down for a while."

"Your father will be pleased to hear this." Wich was Erestor for 'I'm glad you're staying'

"My brother and I shall decide it after they come back."

"Elrohir, please, enlighten me on this. You and your brother have been hunting down orcs and constantly trying to convince your father that something is happening, but how comes that when the situation arises that Elrond agrees in investigating it you are _here,_ holed up in the library?"

"Well, someone had to stay back and you know, take care of things, do the stuff my father usually does and all."

"Oh, _please." _Erestor scoffed. "Don't take me for a fool. I've known you since you were born. You are hardly the one to engage in the matters of politics and rulership. You always prefered the sword rather than the crown. It was Elladan who would always shadow your father while you would be sparing with Glorfindel. And must I point out that you barely touched any paperwork this morning and deliberately avoided Elrond's study?"

"I know, but..." Elrohir sighed. How could he explain something neither he could understand? "It's just... something held me here last night. Still are. I mean, what if something happened? No offense, but without Glorfindel our defenses are pretty weak."

"But strong enough to hold on until you all make it back here."

"I know, I just.. i guess i just didn't want to fail here like.. like I failed Nana."

"You didn't fail her, penneth. None of it was your fault. You and your brother did your better. We all made what we could to heal her."

"Our better clearly wasn't enough. But I don't want to discuss this now. Let the dead rest where it belongs, in the past gone."

"One can only hope its ghosts will not come back to haunt him at night. Hide here from the councellors if you want, but remember that you cannot hide from your demons forever. They are all waiting, lurking in the shadows at the corner of your eyes, at the back of your mind. It's the real monster in the closet, the real thing underneath the bed. But in the dead of the night, when it is all silent, when it is all dark, _then, _there is no where to hide."

The chief councellor looked at the youg elf with deep sadness while rising from his armchair and walking to the great wooden doors. He was already reaching for the doorknob when Elrohír spoke up again.

"Erestor?"

"Aye?"

"How old are you?"

"Old enough to have more regrets than I would've liked. You have your ghosts, penneth. You don't want to meet mine."

And with that Erestor was gone. The younger twin could almost see him turning a corner and blending with the crowd of elves, that glimpse of sadness and pain that danced behind his dark irises already gone and forgotten, the sense of duty and the daylight erasing whatever memories that might have surfaced.

But not in the library. The faint light that passed through the dark curtains merged with the trembling brightness of the fireplaces, casting shadows that seemed to be thretening to engulf him. Elrohir felt his chest tighten at the thickness of the air, breathing suddenly becoming a painful task, he felt as if a bubble of deep sorrow had swallowed him and was now proceeding to englobe the whole room.

There, inside the library, with that unsettling feeling of being watched and so utterly vulnerable, Elrohir thought that maybe Erestor was right. It doesn't matter how fast you run or how far you go, in the end, whatever you are hiding from will always catch up on you. _Maybe you have never left them at all._

_"When you feel my heat, look into my eyes, it's where my demons hide. Don't get too close, it's dark inside, it's where my demons hide."_

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**N/A: **_**Hey everybody! Hope you all liked it! Thank you all for the follows and revies and for reading this. It makes my day and makes me write faster.**_

**P**_**lease reviews and suggestions are always welcomed.**_

**Xoxo **__


	4. Chapter 4- Run, boy, run

_**N/A: Hello everyone! I'm really sorry for the delay but i've been busy studying, i have this big test coming that will decide if i go to college or not. So, here you go, another chapter, please if there's any mistakes, just tell me ok?.**_

_**And also, a BIG thank you for those who reviewed and ffollowed and favorited this story,you made my day **_

_**Now, on with the story:**_

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_"Blood was everywhere, in the woods, pooled on the crushed grass, oozing from the dead bodies. Oh, and how many corpses were there! Enemies and friends, orcs and elves, all rotting around. He felt a wave of nausea at the disgusting scene, these warriors deserved better than that, a burial at least. But they didn't have the time, someone else would have to do it. They needed to find their mother. Celebrían had been gone for almost four days now and he could only imagine her pain, left alone with those monsters. It made his blood boil with anger. They had left as soon as the surviving guards dragged themselves inside Imladris and mumbled whatever nonsense to get their point across. The clearance now behind them had probably been a bloody battlefield, where their mother's party must have been ambushed. _

_"Elrohír! Look!" Elladan pointed at a cave several foots ahead, with orcs guarding the entrance. "They must have taken her there."_

_"Aye. There is blood in the ground." He honestly wished he hadn't noticed it, and for the horrorized look on his brother's eyes, neither did he. It wasn't the trail of dripping blood, it was the sickening dark red trail of someone being _dragged _away to the cave. They shared a look. _

_"Dan? What if... what if we are too la-"_

_"Don't say it. Don't you bloody dare to say it, Ro."_

_(His brother was right. Saying would make it too real.)_

_Neither of them breathed as much as a word while fighting the orcs with a blind fury, only the clashing of steel against steel and steel against flesh to be heard. _

_"_Ammë_?" _

_Elladan's voice had been no louder than a whisper, but loud enough to distract Elrohír, almost getting him wounded, had he not beheaded the orc first. _

_"Elladan? "_

_He approached his older brother, coming to stand at his side. _

_And almost threw up at the sight that greeted him. _

_His once beautiful mother laid now in rags, covered in blood and dirt, unconscious, hurt in too many places. All light seemed to have left her body, leaving her looking like a discarded ragged doll. _

_"No..." Elrohir breathed out, choking back a sob, tear staining his dirty cheeks. "No, Dan do something!"_

_"Elrohir"_

_"You're a healer, you-"_

_"Elrohir"_

_"-can save her, you-"_

_"Stop it!" Elladan shook him, turning his head away from Celebrian and facing him. "There's nothing I can do. Stop it... please..."_

_"No, no, it is _not _too late!" He screamed. "She's still alive! Look! She's not gone, Dan!"_

_"I know, never said it was. But she's too far gone for my skills. We have to take her to father." He looked from the corner of his eyes to his mother and felt a chill in his spine, she looked too much like a corpse. "He is the only one who can save her now."_

_Elrohir barely nodded, panic filling his chest, the worst scenarios playing in his mind. He felt his heart hammering madly inside his ribcage, his breath becoming erratic and his vison starting to blur. He weakly tried to reason that it was just a nightmare, he only had to open his eyes, just open his eyes and everything would be okay, just open his ey..."_

_._

_._

_._

Elrohir bolted upright , wide grey eyes clouded with panic and fingers white from clutching the bedsheets. His frantic gasps for air slowly turned into deep breaths as the nightmare started to fade away and reality crept in. The younger twin looked around wildly, half expecting an enemy to sudden reveal itself from its hiding place, taking in every detail to make sure that _yes, he was in his room in Rivendell and yes, he was safe._

And maybe it was the emptiness of it or the fact that both his father and brother were (_gone as well _) away, but the Hidden Valley just didn't bring him the same sense of relief and safety and _home. _All he felt was the silence.

Falling back into bed with a defeated sigh, he closed his eyes tiredly, willing his body to drift off again. He hoped that once daylight filled the room it would wash off the unsettling ( _memories _) feelings and everything would go back to normal again.

But _of course _it was a foolish hope.

After almost an hour of tossing and rolling around, Elrohir had had enough. If he wasn't getting any more sleep that night ( _morning? _), he might as well start his day. Jumping out of bed and dressing himself in record time, he shut the door behind him, lingering in the hallway for just a moment, unsure of where to go. Usually, he would join Glorfindel in the courtyard to report their last patrol and then train until lunch. But it wasn't morning and neither would Glorfindel be waiting for him.

So, instead of turning left on the corridor, he took the right and headed to Elrond's study. It was time he took care of his responsabilities.

.

.

.

.

"_Daro!" _

Elrond's voice rang and ricocheted through the woods, powerful and commanding and for a moment Elladan believed even Arda itself would stop moving. The lord of Imladris stood proud and serious in his horse, a frown had fallen in his features and seemed unwilling to go away. It was a side of him that Elladan hardly knew, today spoke not the lord nor the father nor the elf, today it was the warrior, the Herald of Gil-Galad that led the small party along the borderlines of the Hidden Valley. It was like an ancient picture of times long lost, something out of the ballads Lindir sang in the Hall of Fire, re-telling the ever-so-sad tales of heroes of the old days, where Arda had a different shape and the greats elven kingdoms were yet to fall, tales that the young elf ( _not an elfling, not anymore, thank you very much ) _ had always dreamed of and now found extremely alike the situation they were in.

It was hardly his fault, really, who wouldn't feel that sense of adventure and heroism with two legends at their sides? Glorfindel just plainly _glowed,_ all golden and shiny in his armor, and Elrond had the noble and heroic aura of the ancient warriors. Really, it wasn't his fault.

Elladan couldn't be blamed for feeling glad for his father's sudden order and defensive stance. Couldn't be blamed for wishing for more_... emotion_. He wanted to have something exciting to tell his brother ( _and perhaps the pretty maids also, who knows? He does. ) _when he finally gets back. So he can't help but feel restless and fidget impatiently while Elrond and Glorfindel discuss something with quiet whispers and discret glances.

"We're going back. Everyone, start moving, if we start our way back now, we should make it until tomorrow morning." Elrond gravely announced. "There's nothing else to investigate. Let's go."

"What?" Elladan stared dumbfounded at his father, anger starting to boil inside him. "But father, something is off around here." _And you know it._

To be fair, the elf knew he was pushing a bit too far.

"_I am your father and lord and_ _you will listen to me, child! Do as you are told! " _The barely contained rage behind his father's eyes and the harsh words stung more than Elladan was willing to admit. Sure, he had been pestering the older elf for a long time now and should have seen that coming, but was it really necessary to snap like that? It wasn't anything like his father to have such outbursts of fury. " _Are we clear?" _

"..."

"_Are we clear?"_

"Aye, _atar._"

Glorfindel was the first to snap out of the shocked daze, throwing him an apologetic glance before turning and following his lord, quickly mimicked by his companions.

Elladan just stared at his father's retreating back.

Something was going on, something big.

Something dangerous enough to scare the lord of Imladris and the Balrog-Slayer.

And he was going to find out exactly what it was.

.

.

.

.

Elrohir wanted to scream in frustration. Or break something, he wasn't picky about it.

He honestly couldn't care less if elf-A had a _chicken _that had disappeared and elf-B suddenly materialized one in his godamned garden out of thin air. He could _not_, for the life of himself, understand how it was important. It was a freaking _chicken._ People lose track of their chicken everytime everyday, just as much as people bought chickens everytime every-freaking-day. _That's what markets are for._

And he also would be very pleased if the papers he was currently trying to decode just spontaneously combusted. He even glared at the offending sheets of papers for half an hour, willing it to catch fire.

Yes, he was _that _desperare.

(He settled for turning the papers into a crumpled mess and hiding it in the flower pot by the window.)

Elrohir sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. _Stupid rulership with stupid papers. _He wasn't cut out for this. He should be in the courtyard. Sparring. Fighting. Training. Not locked inside an office signing and reading letters and stuff. He shouldn't be doing his father's work.

Because he was doing a terrible job at it.

Surely, as soon as Elrond was back, his _lovely_ advisors would be gossiping about how much of a mess Elrohir had made and how Elrohir should _not _spend his freetime _messing _and _playing _in the yard and _grow up._

_Lovely._

And the worst part was that he _knew _it was going to happen, but was hopeless to change anything. It wouldn't matter if he was trying his best or if Erestor would stand up for him. His father would still shake his head and give him that horribly sad disappointed look before walking away.

Just freaking _lovely._

So, instead of trying to figure out whether some edain would trade with the Valley or not, Elrohir just stood up and left.

It was a _lovely_ day outside.

.

.

.

.

.

Raunín had been bored.

She had been terribly bored. Beyond boredom. She had slept the whole night, no nightmares, thankfully, and spent half of her afternoon with Olochen in the archery field. The captain, much to her dismay, was a far better archer than her, and would _not _waste the opportunity of rubbing it in her face.

She was sure she would never hear the end of it.

So, when the wheather became way too hot and they retreated to the main house for shelter, she took her chance and dove into the first room to escape her friend's antics.

And that room happened to be the library. A deserted library.

Therefore, she was bored.

Sure, she could pick some random book and entertain herself, but most of the lower shelves held books she had already read or sounded boring.

And she was _already _bored.

Bored meant dangerous. Bored meant her brain would come up with ideas that her normal and reasonable self would never agree with.

And that's why Raunin found herself currently in the middle-shelf, barely holding on and trying to reach a book in the top-shelf, all the while doing her best _not to look down._

And failing miserably.

So, when she heard a surprised "What on earth?" she could not help but shriek and fall back to the ground with a graceless "thud". And she also had no way of preventing half of the books from falling with her.

"For the love of Eru, what were you doing?" The owner of the voice that startled her was a dark-haired elf that seemed inclined in leaving her on the ground.

"Trying to reach that book?"

Just for the record, the book that started this whole mess was still on the shelf looking very innocent and very pleased with itself. Or so she thought.

"Did you even think of using the ladder?"

"Oh."

"Yes, _oh."_

The only good excuse she could think of was that she was bored.

The elf shook his head in disbelief, but a smile tugged at his lips. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine." She felt slightly awkward sitting on the floor under his knowing gaze. "I'm Raunín, by the way. I'm with Captain Olochen's party."

"My name is Erestor, Elrond's chief advisor. Now come, let's find this book of yours."

The elf then proceeded to bring a tall wooden ladder, using it to safely reach the book.

"Thank you." She felt her cheeks reddening with shame. "And I'm really, terribly sorry for the mess."

"What a mess, indeed." The older elf looked around at the books sprawled on the floor. "Here, help me put them in alphabetical order."

Raunín complied without a word, it was the least she could do.

"May I ask you a question, Master Erestor?"

"Yes, you may, child."

"Where is everyone? What is going on?"

"I thought you said one question." He raised his eyebrows at her, amused at her curiosity.

"Sorry." She muttered feeling very childish indeed.

"Lord Elrond left yesterday morning with Lord Glorfindel and Lord Elladan. They were investigating some perturbations at the borders." He answered nonetheless. "Nothing to worry about."

"Lord Glorfindel? You mean, _that _Glorfindel?" She was sure she was gaping. Very princess-like. "_The _Glorfindel?"

"Yes, child." He laughed at her wonder. "_The _Glorfindel from Gondolin."

She blinked, wide eyes filled with excitement.

"I wouldn't mention it to him, though." Erestor added as an afterthought. "That pompous elf can be ridiculously dramatic."

Raunín was about to say something when the library door was burst open, reveling a bewildered elf.

"For Eru's sake, Lindir!" The advisor was on his feet in a second. "What happened?"

"It is Lord Elrohir, he just left!"

"What do you mean?" The older elf raised one eyebrow.

"He took his horse and stormed off." Lindir shifted awkwardly. Raunin was mildly pleased to know that she wasn't the only one to be bothered by Erestor's gaze. "He didn't say where he was going or when he would come back. He seemed distressed."

"Let him be, Lindir." Erestor pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Let him be. He shall come back at his time."

"Lord Elrond will kill me if something happens."

"Calm yourself, elf. Elrohir can fend for himself." Lindir took deep breathes and nodded. "He shall come back safe and sound."

"I hope so, Erestor." And with that he took his leaving.

It took several heartbeats until Raunin spoke up again.

"Do you think something happen with Lord Elrond?" She handed him the last book.

"No. If that was the case, the guards would have been warned." Erestor finished organizing the shelf before looking the fading twilight sky through the large window. "No. Whatever troubles Elrohir is something else entirely."

"I wish I could help."

"And so do I. But I'm afraid there is nothing we can do for now. Come on, I believe supper is almost ready, child."

Raunin let him change subjects and led her away. The advisor clearly wouldn't be giving her any more information.

"Come on, Elrohir will come around eventually. He can't hide forever."

.

.

.

The door was closed but the candles burned all night long.

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.

.

_"Tomorrow is another day and you won't have to hide away. _

_You'll be a man, boy. _

_But for now is time to run._

_Run, boy, run. This world is not made for you._

_Run, boy, run. They are dying to stop you."_


	5. Chapter 5 - Bones

**N/A: Hi everyone! Sorry for the wait, life has been busy as always, but hey! I was accepted in college so hoepfully more time to write! Hope you like this chapter, it's been the most fun to write it.**

**Again, sorry for any mistake.**

**Disclaimer: I do **_**not **_**own lotr or the hobbit. They all belong to Tolkien. All hail Tolkien.**

**Enjoy **

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_"She smiled. _

_Smiled because smiling was easy. Smiled because the sun was shining outside. Smiled because the little lily just outside her second window from left to right had blossomed that very morning. Smiled because everything was right in the world._

_Except what was not. _

_Except that she wasn't smiling at all._

_Except that the little lily outside her second window from left to right didn't matter at all._

_Except that her whole family, no, her whole kingdom had been turned to ashes. _

_( ashes and ashes and ashes like a candle burning all night, oh-ever-so bright, burning and burning and burning until there was only ashes and ashes and ashes )_

_And why was she alive when all else perished? What was a princess to do with no kingdom to rule? What was the use of a burned crown? ( a burned crown for a burned princess in a burned kingdom )_

_("Brush your hair!"_

_"Smooth your gown!"_

_"Oh, here comes your suitor! Behave like a princess"_

_"Oh, my lady, how pretty you are!"_

_"Be a good girl. You will be queen one day, sweetie."_

_"Don't wander alone in the woods, you must stay within our borders!"_

_"Be good. Make us proud, sweetie." )_

_Dead dead dead dead dead. _

_All dead. Every one of them. _

_They were all dead and she wasn't being good and she didn't make them proud._

_And now they were all dead and there would be no second chances._

_She let them down and now they're dead._

_All dead._

_If they were all dead, was she dead too?_

_No, but she wasn't alive either. Was she?_

_No. Her alive-self had been very different. When she was alive she had known how to smile. _

_Now she knew how to grimace and how to scowl. It is very different from smiling, she found._

_"How are you today?"_

_He was asking again. Silly, silly _sinda.

_It was a game, you see. He would ask, she would lie._

_"I'm fine, my prince."_

_When she was alive she had been an awful liar. _

_Now she liked to think she mastered it._

_But if she was the opposite of what she was when alive, and the opposite of alive was dead, then she was dead._

_Wasn't she?_

_But he said she was alive._

_But she didn't feel alive._

_If she wasn't dead but wasn't alive either, what was she?_

_(It is a dream, wake up)_

_What if she had been dead all this time?_

_What if she died at the (wake up wake up wake up wake up ) fire? What if these past few days had been all but a hallucination? Some sort of dream-like conciousness? _

_(Wake up wake up wake up wake up )_

_She was crying, she knew that. Well, dead people don't cry, do they?_

_( wake up wake up wake UP WAKE UP)_

_But what if..._

_(WAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAK..._

_._

_._

_._

Raunin gasped and choked, desperate for air, nails digging deep the palm of her hands, desperate to feel _anything._

The tears flowed freely down her cheeks, because _she was past this, she got over it for Eru's sake!_

The young elf curled in a tight ball and rocked back and forth in her bed, eyes squeezed shut, trying to swallow down the bitter taste in her mouth.

She was _alive. _

_._

_._

_._

Elrohir was pretty sure he had been there before. It was a small clearer deep in the forest where he had used to play ( _and_ _hide ) _as a kid. The trees were still the same, the grass were still the same.

But he definetly didn't remember the place to be as dark as it was now.

(Not dark as in no-light kind of dark, it was _dark.)_

He also couldn't remember it to be so silent. Not a bird was singing, not a leaf was moving, not a sound was being made. It was way beyond unnerving.

Blame it in his bad mood, but all Elrohir saw was a dead place full of shadows so gloom that could be mistaken as a graveyard.

(_Somehow the fact that there was no graves was even more terrifing, because what's scarier than what's left for the future?)_

The elf had been staring at his surroundings when he felt it. A sudden sense of dread and sorrow that filled his chest, and made the hair on the back of his neck stand and chilled him to the bones.

A feeling of helplessness and fear so strong that brought him to his knees with a weak gasp and took the breath out of him. His mind was fogged and confused, random thoughts and memories (_gentle smiles and soft, soft words turned into empty eyes and broken tears and farewells at the seaside ) _swirling around and adding up to the dizziness.

( _Looking in retrospect, Elrohir would say that that was when he crossed the point of no return. After that exact moment there would be no turning back. If only he had chosen that moment to flee, maybe, well, maybe he would have blamed it on his mood and the cloak of the night and forgotten-... no, he would never forget what he felt, but it would have been hidden in the back of his mind to only resurface in his nightmares. Maybe then none of the following events would have taken place._

_If only! _

_But there would be no turning back, not now, not after, not for him._

_Not for all of them.)_

And just like it came, it was gone.

And when it was gone, it _was _gone. It was as if a curtain had been lifted to reveal a completely different atmosphere.

The light seemed to be back and the forest to come alive again.

And just like that Elrohir was left on his hands and knees on the ground, panting and coughing and sweating, entirely out of place in the now peaceful glade and the only proof of the darkness that only seconds ago had surrounded him and slithered away.

.

.

.

It was past midnight when he finally made it to the main house and it took him several minutes to calm down enough for the shaking of his hands subside and open the doors.

His first instinct was to seek out his (_mother) _brother but since it would be impossible for the moment, Elrohir headed for the kitchens instead, where there ought to be some food left.

He was already reaching for the doorknob when his ears picked sounds of movement coming from inside the room, freezing him on the spot.

Panic flared up inside him, could whatever had been in the forest (_monster_ )_ followed him to the house? He didn't know, anything could be possible.

More sounds from the room snapped him out of his thoughts, he had to do something, he couldn't let some random creature_ (_monster under_)_ wandering around the house.

_But, _a reasonable corner of his mind offered, _it could be nothing._ What proof did he have that there is, in fact, a creature (_the monster_) _? It could have been a fleeting illness that struck him back in the woods, he had only had lunch after all. And now, well, it could be just the usual night sounds, nothing to worry about, just some owls screeching or some pipes shrinking.

Elrohir was almost convincing himself when more sounds drifted from the kitchen, this time the distinctive metal clink of a pan hitting the ground.

_Well, that was a hell of a pipe then,_ he scowled at his own sarcasm, it would do him no good. The eerily (_dead)_ emptiness and the darkness of the hallways didn't help his fears either. The young elf tried to take a deep breath and _not_ hyperventilate. He was going to open that damn door and face whatever nightmare ( _the monster under the bed) _was inside.

_One,_

Deep breathes.

_Two,_

Prepare weapons.

_Three._

Elrohir burst the door open, rushing inside the dark kitchen with his knife raised, ready to fight for his life.

Only to be hit by a bowl.

.

.

.

"_Goheno nin!" _Raunin apologized for the thirty-eighth time. "I am so sorry, Elrohir! I really am!"

" 'Tis okay." Elrohir flinched after touching the left side of his head, where a slight bump was already growing. "I'm fine."

"Well, then your concept of being fine is slightly different than mine. "

"Okay, I'm kind of fine."

"_Barely._" She snorted as she stood on her toes to check on the injury. "I think there might be a second head growing over there. "

Elrohir stopped his hand middair, feeling incredibly stupid for almost checking her statement.

"Thinking on the bright side, it may be smarter than your original one." Raunín snickered. "You know, you might get brains this time."

"You wound me!" He brought his hand over his heart, mocking a hurt look. "_Literally! _May I remind you who gave me this?"

"That's not fair!" She cried, "You said you _forgave _me! You can't take it back and throw it at my face now!"

"I'm sick, I can do anything."

"Stop making up rules!"

"Sorry, that's part of the job."

"You're ridiculous." She said rolling her eyes and propping herself up to sit on the bed next to his.

"When did you become so annoying?" Elrohir aimed a kick at her shin, prompting a kicking war.

"I'm not sure, but I'd say somewhere between lunch and hitting you with that bowl." In all honesty, Raunin didn't know how they could be so at ease either. She had only been trying to be nice after hitting him and things just seemed to snowball from there.

"Yeah, thank you for that." He huffed grumply. "You know, I'm starting to think that it was better, _safer_, when you still hated my guts."

"I didn't hate your guts," she frowned, "but you weren't any better!"

"You started, though."

"Did not."

"Did too!"

"Di-"

"_What are you? five-years-old?" _Erestor's quiet voice was laced with annoyance and disbelief, cutting through the air and effectively shutting them up.

The older elf had been standing on the doorway with Curubor, the Chief Healer, trailing behind him, looking very annoyed for being woken up at such a late hour.

"Now, can you _please _tell me what happpened?" Erestor knew that was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words left his lips and the incoherent babbling and gesturing began.

"I was in the kitchen-"

"I had just arrived and-"

"-and all I wanted-"

"-was hungry-"

"_Silence!" _Erestor rubbed his temples and tried to take deep breathes, it was going to be a long night. "_Speak one at a time."_

"She hit me with a bowl." Elrohir blurted and pointed an accusing finger at the _elleth._

"I panicked, okay." She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "I panicked."

Erestor merely sighed before moving on tiredly " Why did you hit him with a bowl?"

"I was in the kitchens and it was pretty late and dark and he just burst in there! He almost scared me to death!" The elf defended herself. "I panicked and just reacted! And I already apologized."

"Right. And why were you in the kitchens?"

"I couldn't sleep so I went for some water."

"Fair enough." Erestor sighed and turned to the other elf. "And you? Why did you burst in the kitchens?"

"I-I... " Elrohir stuttered.

"Oh my, you're actually _blushing!" _Raunin gaped. "Please, do tell us Elrohir, why did you burst in the kitchens?"

"I heard sounds coming from there!" He snapped. "I though it could be... _something."_

"Why, are you scared of monsters, _my lord?" _

"Oh, shut up. I was just too tired to think straight."

"Have you checked your closet? Heard monsters like to hide in there."

" _Shut up."_

"That's enough," Erestor interrupted them before it could escalate. "If I understand it correctly, this was nothing but a misunderstanding?"

The elves nodded.

Erestor sighed again, this was starting to become an habit.

"It is late, go back to your chambers, both of you, and try to get some sleep." He looked warily at the young elf's injury. "I assume Curubor has already taken care of your head before waking me up?"

"Aye."

"Then goodnight. And Elrohir," the advisor called, stopping him in the doorway, " a raven has arrived this evening. Your father shall be back tomorrow."

"Did he say what he found?"

"Nay. But..."

"You have a bad feeling about it?"

He nodded somberly.

"Bad news are arriving more often than not. Why would this be any different?" Elrohir stated grimly before exiting the room and leaving the healer and the advisor alone.

"Have you seen him, Curubor? So young yet so little hope. He lost so much already at the hands of the enemy."

"Haven't we all, my friend? " The healer shook his head sadly. "_Haven't we all?_"

"Indeed, but we have been walking this land for far longer than most, old friend." Erestor busied himself with the bandages. "We won a battle and thought the war over. Now we are old and wary of this life, holed up in our lands, refusing to see our mistakes, clinging to nothing but an illusion. But where are the elflings so full of life whose laughter used to fill these hallways? Shall we let this youth pay the price of the mistakes we made out of our young arrogance?"

"What has gotten into you, Erestor?" Curubor frowned, "You seem awfully are right, we have seem many wars in our long time around. That's why we should know better and keep hoping. Despite all the battles, despite all that was lost, the enemy has been defeated time and time again. Do not despair just yet, my friend, it hasn't even begun. They were children born and raised in difficult times, they did not see the light of the Two Trees, they did not know Valinor. I'll tell you this, old friend, before this is over, we shall teach them the most important lesson."

"And what would that be?"

"To hope, old friend." The healer squeezed his shoulder, eyes far away from the room, lost in memories. "_To hope."_

Erestor nodded and watched his friend leave the healer's wing before blowing off the candles and heading to his own chambers, trying to keep Curubor's words in mind.

But he could not help the shiver that went through his spine as he stared out of the window at the darkness outside and it stared back at him.

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.

.

_"Life slips away and the ghosts come to play. These are hard times for dreamers and love lost believers."_

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**Any ideas? Criticism? Support? Reviews? **


	6. Chapter 6- Shake it Out

**N/A: I am really, really incredibly sorry for the long wait. But things got real crazy and this chapter was, for some reason, the hardest to write up to now and I still think it could be way better. Hopefully, things will get easier now that I'm finally in college. Hopefully. Maybe.**

**Again, I'm realllllly sorry for the delay.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. They belong to Tolkien. The quote also goes for Marco Tulio. I'm not **_**that **_**wise. Actually i'm not wise at all. I love books though.**

**Anyways, enjoy :3**

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"You know, it has been two days already." Olochen mumbled between chewing his meal, "Two days and nothing. We should have been packing by now."

"Aye. The others are growing restless as well." Raunín poked her toast with her fork, suddenly she wasn't that hungry anymore. "I say it's because they miss the sea and all. Lord Elrond should be back today, though."

"I really hope he sees me soon. Can't wait to be back home." the captain had been lifting the spoon to his mouth when he seemed to think better of it and rest it back in the table, turning to face the _elleth _beside him properly. "You said 'they'."

"Pardon me?"

"You said '_they _miss the sea'. You don't see yourself like one of us, do you?"

"Olochen..." She sighed and tucked her dark hair behind her ears, "It's too early for this. Can't we, please, talk about something else?"

"No, no, wait a second. You're not even leaving with us, are you?"

"I-I don't know," Raunín looked away, unable to hold his gaze any longer, the betrayal and hurt she found there proving to be too much. "I'm sorry, _mellon-nin. _I never intended to stay. But the sea is not my home."

"Neither is here."

"You are right, it's not. But the forest..." the _elleth _shook her head, how could she explain it? The way she missed being surrounded by trees, talking to them, living beside them? "Imladris is not my home, but the forest is. I would not thrust upon Lord Elrond to shelter me here, but I won't lie to you Olochen, I cannot see myself living in the Grey Havens again."

"If not here, where then? Surely, you do not plan to live wandering alone in the forest-"

"Nay, I don't ."

" -nor Mirkwood, you're crazy if you think the king would take you in or if you would survive on your own in that woods. There is a reason for its name."

Raunín thought about days inside halls of stone and feasts in the moonlight, hunts that dured a week and getting lost together in the maze of trees, unexpected friendship that cut through her defenses and saw through her lies and blond hair that smelled like rain and leaves and forest. "I suppose you're right."

"You bet I am." The captain grumbled through a mouthful of food, but the elf beside him had her attention elsewhere, in a past long gone where she had been someone else, where a piece of her had been put together and fixed. Could she come back? She supposed she could, they wouldn't throw her away. But going back, it wouldn't be the same, she wasn't the same. She was someone else now, someone who did not know the royal family at all.

When she left, she had promised she would be fine, she would find a place by her own means. Going back would be admitting she couldn't do it and as much as she missed him, she wasn't going to let him down. After everything, she owed him that much.

But was the Havens really the right answer?

.

.

.

"You've been here an awfully lot for someone of your age."

"I like it here. It's quiet and beautiful." Raunín looked up from the book she had been reading huddled up in the armchair by the fire for the last couple hours. "Besides, you do not know my age, Master Erestor."

"Only Erestor will do just fine, child." The older elf began looking through a pile of books in his table. "And you are wrong. I know you are young and that tells me enough. "

"I still like it here, though." She smiled but did not correct him, Erestor was wise and lying about this to him would be pointless.

"And _that _also tells me a lot." Raunín froze, her heart thumping wild in her ribcage as his words hung in the air and the silence streched and weighed in her shoulders. "It tells me you are a very peculiar elfling. A very smart one."

She let out her breath and manage what she hoped was a polite and grateful smile. "Smart, I"m not sure, but I do consider myself a bit different from the rest."

"It is a rare thing indeed to find youngsters spending time among old things like these."

"_'A room without books is like a body without a soul.' " _she quoted with a small smile, " and what better companion than them?"

"Indeed," Erestor smiled kindly at the elf as he flipped through a book. "But I am afraid few of your age would agree with you and spend more time than necessary in here. Aye, it's been long since this room was properly cared for."

"That's a shame." Raunín looked around sadly, the shelves were indeed covered in dust and she had noticed a few books and scrolls out of place before. A ghost of a memory flickered in her mind, rainy days spent inside a room not so different from this, a warm fireplace and the smell of ink. "I'd rather be inside here than outside in the courtyard."

She offered the older elf a bashful smile as he raised an eyebrow at the contempt in her voice. She couldn't help it, though, she had been taught to value diplomacy over the sword, to use her mind before her weapon, it was wrong of her to think less of warriors and she knew it, but her upbringing had been slightly biased and even time had trouble erasing it.

"I'm sure you do," Erestor finally stopped fussing over the books and looked up at her, "which brings me to my other question. You are not from Mithlond."

"That wasn't a question." Raunín bit her lower lip, worry starting to cloud her mind.

"No, but may I ask where are you from?"

"I come from Mirkwood, the Woodland Realm." The lie fell smoothly out of her lips from years of saying the same thing over and over. Besides, it was technically partially true, her father's lands were situated deep inside the dark forest.

"Mirkwood, uh?"

He knew she was lying. Raunín was certain of that. She had no idea of what gave her away, but something did. Maybe one of that body language crap she never bothered learning about or maybe Erestor was privy of some sort of list containing the names of who was born where or who is who, he looked like the kind of person who knows that stuff. _Or maybe you are just being paranoid. _

"Well, and what made you leave?"

"The shadow that fell upon the forest. When things started getting too dangerous, when evil knocks at your door, well, it is time to move on."

"I see. I assume that you are not planning on going back?"

"Not really, not now. I mean, I do miss Mirkwood, but things are still pretty bad there."

"I understand," Erestor smiled kindly at her, gathered his books and made for the door. "If you ever find yourself in need, child, do not forget that this is the _Last Homely House East of the Sea_."

Raunín drew a deep breath as she stared at the huge wooden doors, it was the third time in less than an hour that the older elf left her wondering if he knew something. Well, he did seem to know everything around a five-miles range, but then again, she had never been in a five-miles range of Imladris. But if _Erestor_ had suspected of something, what would _Elrond _think?

Aye, maybe it hadn't been her smartest move to come to the center of knoledge and home of some of the wisest elves on Middle Earth, but then again, when had she ever chosen the smart thing?

Raunín sighed and rubbed her face, eyes scanning the empty room before getting up, putting off the fire and exiting the library. It was useless dwelling on the matter now, if the advisor knew something was up, he didn't seem too inclined to start gossiping.

She stepped out in the hallway and took a moment to soak in the warmth of the sunlight filtered by the window before walking away and toward the gardens, her mood improving with each step. As the _elleth_ stood on the threshold though, she felt her good humor sliping. Outside everything was as still as a painting.

_What's underneath the paint, though?_

The stray thought danced around her mind, seeming to almost taunt her, _ha, can't drown me now, can ya?_

_Watch me, _she snarled back making her best effort to appreciate the beauty and peace of the scene before her.

_If this is the calmness, man, it must be a huge storm coming!_

_There's no storm!_

_Nothing can be that perfect, that peaceful, can it?_

_Shut up!_

_Unless it's dead._

_Shut it!_

_Death does seem to follow you, doesn't it?_

_SHUT UP! _As visions of flames burning high in the sky filled her mind's eye, Raunín curled her hands into tight fists by her sides, nail digging in her skin, and squeezed her eyes shut; her breath, which had been rageddy and short at best, became desperates and uneven gasps for air. The _elleth _felt her skin on fire andstumbled foward, legs trembling and weak, tried to step back, away from the ( _dead ) _grass and away from the (_dead )_ fire and fell on the floor. The world spun as her head hit the granite and all sounds were drowned by the loud, thundering sound of her blood pumping in her ears. _I'm dying_, she thought hysterically while crawling to the nearest wall and hugging her knees against her chest, _I'm coming home._

Raunín felt the flames lick her skin and burn down houses. She felt the fabric of her gear melt and ooze down her back, leaving the skin scarred and agonizing. She felt the hellish pain cursing through her veins and torturing her entire body. Reality ( _? ) _slowly became fuzzy and blackness started seeping at the edges and Raunín knew she was passing out. _Good, at least I won't die in too much pain._

It could have been either seconds or centuries ( _it was just a couple hours ) _before Raunín regained conciousness, she wouldn't know. All she knew was that her head hurt and nothing was burnt. Leaning against the wall for support, she stood up and checked herself for any injuries from the imaginary fire. All in all, she seemed fine.

She heard a bird,_ ( a very nice nightingale ),_

chirping in the distance with a frightening clarity. _Hey there, buddy. Doing many bird things today? _

_Great, now besides arguing with yourself and hallucinating, you're talking to birds. How very sane of you. _

Fine, she _might _have a mild concussion.

The same bird chirped again and flew away. ( _she should have done the same )_

Raunín stretched her sore arms and brushed off the dirt on her clothes, it must be past noon and lunch would be served in a few minutes if it had not already begun. But as soon as she rounded the corner Raunín wished she hadn't.

Because, you see, she knew what situations like that usually led to. Trouble and a headache. She knew she should turn on her heels and pretend she never saw a thing, that was the smart thing to do.

But Raunín also knew herself. She didn't do smart.

_Since the headache's aready here, I might as well. _

So she kept walking towards the elves cursing her curiosity and _knowing_ it was trouble.

_As long as I don't end up like the proverbial cat..._

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_One hour earlier..._

"They should've been here by now." Elrohir frowned, " What's taking them so long?"

"They will be here soon," Erestor looked up at the cloudless sky, " It's hardly noon."

The young elf resumed his pacing, he couldn't help it, his father's party was late and this whole patrol thing had been... _weird. _Sure, they were supposed to stay within Imladris but a lot of things could happen within Imladris, the ring wouldn't protect them against everything.

_Like last night._

A shiver ran through his body as he tried to chase away any thoughts about the previous night. Elrohir didn't understand what happened there and he wasn't really feeling like analizing it now. There were more pressing matters at the moment.

Like the sudden sound of horses arriving in the yard.

" Finally." He heard Erestor mutter under his breath while climbing down the front steps and bowing. " _Hîr-nin."_

"_Atar!_ Elladan!" Elrohir dashed towards them, two steps at a time, and came to stand beside Erestor again. "Did you find anything?"

"Not now, _ion-nin."_ Elrond dismounted in a haste and strode across the yard up to the front door, not slowing down even to look over his shoulder and call, " Erestor, Glorfindel, we shall speak in my office."

Glorfindel sighed, patted his shoulder in greeting and dragged himself inside the house after the advisor.

"What the..."

"Don't ask me, 'Ro." Elladan shook his head. "They have been acting strange since, well, since we reached the borders."

"There _is _something, then?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Nobody - and by nobody I mean Glorfindel and _ata - _has told me anything yet." The older twin scowled and started toward the house. "Let me rest a bit before pulling this tread, _muindor. _I have a feeling that there is more to this than we have thought."

"Aye. We'll talk after lunch." Elrohir followed his brother inside silently, walking through the unusually empty hallways, before a thought crossed his mind and a mischievous grin spread itself across his face. "Unless..."

"What?" Elladan spun around to face his twin, a matching grin dancing in his lips. "Unless what?"

"Well, if you are not _too tired, _we could always take the longer way, no," Elrohir smirked delighted, "the _scenery _way to our chambers, y'know."

"The one that coincidentally passes in front of _atar'_s study?"

"That's the one."

"And if we _accidentaly _hear something..." Elladan trailed off grinning from ear to ear.

"It won't be our fault."

"Not at all." He nodded entusiastically before hurrying away, his brother right behind him.

"Do you think they know what's going on?"

"For sure?" Elladan shook his head and whispered back, "Nay. But they know _something."_

"Are you going to tell me what happened out there?"

"Shhhh!" the older twin ducked back in the corner, pushing Elrohir against the wall with him. "Someone's coming."

The soft sound of light footsteps got closer, whoever it was would be coming their way soon. The identical elves held their breaths as they racked their minds in search of a good enough excuse. _We're just walking! _No, it would raise more questions, they need to avoid questions. _We're just... looking for a... rabbit! _ Yes, yes, that one seemed acceptable enough. The elves of Imladris were used to their antics and would be less suspiscious of something absurd.

One minute passed. Silence.

They exchanged a puzzled look. The footsteps had stopped. Elladan cautiously peered out of the safety of the wall before motioning for his brother to follow him.

"What the hell?" Elrohir looked around bewildered at the empty hallway. "You heard it too, right? The footsteps?"

"Yes, yes I did. Whoever it was must have turned back. Or gone into one of the rooms."

"But Elladan!" The younger elf stared wide eyed at his brother, willing him to understand. "If this person had gone back, we would've heard their footstep fading, which we didn't."

"It stopped altogether."

"Exactly. And if they had entered one of the rooms, we would have heard the door open and close." Elrohir began opening the rooms and poking his head inside. "The thing is," he moved on to the next room. Empty. "one way or another..."

"We should have heard something." Elladan frowned as he watched his brother frantic, almost panicked, attempts to find something. The footsteps thing was strange, yes, but not enough to justify him getting this worked up. Elrohir was a warrior. He was the one to keep a levelhead during the fight. Something like this shouldn't scare him this badly.

"Ro? Leave it." He reached to grasp his brother's arm. "It doesn't matter."

Elrohir spun around and out of his twin's grasp, eyes wild and desperate. "Don't you dare tell me it doesn't bother you that this happened in the very same day you and father came back and just after..."

"Don't." Elladan grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to face him. "Don't _you _dare leave it like this. What were you going to say?"

"Nothing." Elrohir squirmed trying to break free. " It is nothing Elladan! Let me go!"

"_Say it."_

"_Let me go!" _Elrohir bellowed and pushed his brother away, stumbling to the nearest wall.

"Elrohir," Elladan took a deep breath to calm himself, the guilt already seeping in. "_Hannon le. _I'm sorry. But I'm sick of people not telling me things. "

"I know you are frustrated. So am I." He sighed before turning his back and walking away, "But don't take it on me. I'm as much clueless as you are."

"No, you are not." Elladan deadpanned ignoring the anxious look in his twin's eyes and the startled way he spun around to face him again. "But it is alright. It is not my place to force you to tell me. But remember, you are my brother Elrohir, I will always be here to help you. No matter what."

Elrohir stared at his brother silently, he wanted to tell him. He really did. But he had to figure out what happened first, he couldn't bother Elladan with childish worries, specially not now. After all, for all he knew, it could have been nothing.

_Was it, though?_

"You are a freaking sentimentalist, you know?"

Elladan shook his head but offered a grim smile at his twin's soft chuckles. "Shall we go? I _do_ want to know what _they _are arguing inside."

Once again Elrohir trailed behind, still absorbed with the footsteps. He couldn't shake the feeling of uneaseness that it was related with his accident in the woods. If there really had been something there, as he was more and more inclined to believe, then could it have been _it _they just heard in the corridor?

But what it was exactly? Could he have been so close to find out? But why had he felt nothing? There was no dread or sickness. Was it because Elladan had been there too? Maybe it was too weak to take two at the same time.

_Or maybe it was nothing both times and you are overthinking it, _the reasonable corner of his mind supplied again. But he didn't really believed that, did he?

Since he was an elfling he knew he would be a warrior. It was in his blood and it was what he wanted. And as a warrior he had been taught to follow his gut, his instincts, and up until now they hadn't let him down.

Now his gut was telling him he had not been alone in the woods. Something else had been there.

Elrohir jumped startled as a hand shook his shoulder. Elladan frowned but said nothing, lifting a finger to his closed lips and motioning the door with a nod of his head.

It was Elrond's study door.

The younger twin copied his brother and pressed one pointy ear against the wooden door, catching fractions of the conversation.

"_... dead in the first age. Second at most..."_

"... _is right, it couldn't have survived, Elrond."_

"_Then what was it?!"_

"_... don't know. Anything but it."_

"_It could be orcs, you... _

"..._ be stupid, Glorfindel! The deaths weren't..."_

"..._might be right. It must be noth..."_

"So, what are you guys doing?"

Elrohir did _not _shriek. Not at all. And whoever said otherwise was a vicious liar that do _not _know what they're talking about.

"Shhhhh!"

He watched as Elladan shot Raunín an annoyed glare, motioned for her to be quiet and resumed eavesdropping, altogether unfazed by her sudden appearence.

And that's Elladan for you.

Elrohir frowned deeply in concentration as Raunín tried to mouth something at him. _"What?" _He mouthed back and she shook her head firmly.

Which apparently wasn't a very good idea if the wince afterwards was anything to go by.

She tried again.

"_What?" _

She shot him an annoyed glare and threw her hands up in the air.

"_What? Ceiling?"_

This time she stared more in disbelief than annoyance. _Not ceiling then. _

"I said," Elrohir crossed his arms across his chest and watched mildly amused as Raunín walked up to him and hissed, "_what's going on?!"_

_"_ Oh, _that'_s what you mean." He smirked at her indignant huff, " I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

She rolled her eyes and mimicked his instance, raising an eyebrow. "Oh really? I'm a guest here, so that would be incredibly rude of you."

_"_ That would be unfortunate, yes, my bad."

_"_Most unfortunate, indeed." Raunín stepped forward and Elrohir moved slightly to the left, blocking her way to the door. The _elleth_ had been trying to slowly move past him and _that_ would be unfortunate. If whatever was being discussed in there were to fall in the wrong ears, there could be hysteria or, if the worst comes to the worst, it could hinder them in catching whoever was responsible for those deaths. It probably was very hypocritical of him to do so, since his own scarce knowledge had come from prying and his own brother was still glued to the door. "Now, are you going to tell me what's-"

_"Will you two just shut up?" _Elladan's angry whisper startled both elves. They had forgotten entirely that the older elf was there and that those inside the room must not hear them. "We have to go. _Now."_

_"_But Elladan-"

_"Now." _The older twin hurried away from the door and grabbed both Elrohir and Raunín in a firm grip, tugging them along the corridor. _"_ _Come on!"_

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Elrohír had two siblings.

One slightly and debatably older brother and one younger sister. His _baby _sister. ( _Arda would have changed many times and Arwen would be long, long gone before he could think of her as anything but his baby sister. He saw her hair turn grey and the crinkles of a lifetime of smiles adorn her eyes, he saw her raise her children and saw her mourn a husband, he saw her spend her days and buried her body under the golden leaves of Lothlorien. And it was still long, long after all this had come to pass before he could admit that perhaps his baby sister had grown up. )_

Elrohír had two siblings. He had a _twin_, for Heaven's sake! He was used to _sharing _stuff. All his life he had to share his toys and his parents with his siblings. He was fine with one or both of said siblings invading his chamber, it had happened many times before.

( _Elrohir had lost count of how many times Elladan had spent the night there when they were elflings because they had been talking and lost track of time or simply because it was too dark and scary to sleep alone even though neither of them would admit it. )_

So Elrohir had come to peace with that.

What he was _not_ fine with was the fact that there was an elf he barely knew sitting cross legged in _his_ carpet with her back against _his _bed in _his _chambers.

Elrohir was _so _not fine with that.

And he had said so. _Loudly._ But Elladan was not to be deterred by any of his very sensible protests. He had been too busy pacing around and glaring at Raunín.

"Who are you?"

_Damn it, Elladan! My room is not an interrogating room. I'm not even sure if that's a real thing!_

"My name is Raunín, _hîr-nin. _I believe we've met before. I was with the Mithlond party."

"I see."

It took every ounce of strenght Elrohír possessed to not roll his eyes at his twin's attempt of sounding intimidating. It was not working and it was bloody ridiculous.

"I beg your pardon, but could anyone tell me wh-"

"Why were you spying us?"

"Excuse me?"

"Answer the question."

"Elladan, I do not think-"

"Hush, _muindor. _Let me handle this."

This time Elrohir did roll his eyes because _letting you handle this is going really great so far, isn't it?_

"I wasn't _spying_ on you."

"So what were you doing then?"

"... walking in the hallway?"

"And to what end?!"

"... getting to the Dining Hall?"

"How interesting that you just _happened _to be walking in the same hallway than we were, don't you think?"

"No, not really. Imladris is not _that _huge, you know?"

"Elladan, please-"

"I'm almost through her, Elrohir. Could use some help, though."

Elrohir fell back on his bed, the mattress groaning and sinking under his weight, and covered his eyes with one arm; supressing a pained moan. His brother was spetacularly making a fool of himself and was now dragging him down with him.

"Why were you inquiring my brother?"

"I was curious."

"Explain."

"Well, when one sees two lordlings eavesdropping, one is bound to be curious."

Elrohir snickered and sat up again, eyeing his brother's now red face and waiting for the storm to blow.

"I'll have you know I am no _lordling _and-"

"That's quite enough, don't you think, brother?"

"Elrohír-"

"I'm sure Raunín will forget easily enough that she saw us _lingering _outside our father's study, won't you?" He waved his brother off and fixed the _elleth _with a pointed look.

"Forget what? As far as I can recall the hallway was empty."

"Thank you."

"May I go now?"

"Yes, yes, of course."

Elrohir jumped out of bed and unlocked the door, stepping outside with her. "I'm really sorry about my brother."

" It's fine, no hard feelings."

"He can be a bit... _dramatic _at times."

"You don't say," She snorted, "He's really a 'better safe than sorry' kind of guy."

"I suppose," Elrohir looked back into the room. He should be getting inside, Elladan was starting to fidget. "Again, I am sorry about this."

"No problem." She shook her head, "Will I see you at lunch?"

"Don't think so. We're eating in here today." He nodded at his chamber.

"I understand." She excused herself and Elrohir went back inside, kicking the door closed on his way.

He looked at his brother sitting on his bed.

Elladan stared silently back at him.

Elrohir stood awkardly at the door.

Elladan held his gaze.

"You're such an idiot."

"Like you are any better."

"At least I don't go around interrogating people!"

"That was quite justified!"

Elrohir snorted and dropped gracelessly beside his brother. They were dancing around the subject but it would have to be addressed sometime. He sighed and rested his head in the wall.

"'Dan?"

"Yes?"

"What did you hear?"

"Elrohír, please, let us not-"

"Elladan."

"Oh, _muindor, _it is awful."

"I heard there was a death?"

"Deaths. Plural."

"Any clue on the culprit?"

"I didn't understand exactly what they were saying," Elladan started carefully, looking anywhere but his brother. "but apparently it was neither orcs nor wolves."

"Could it be men?"

Elladan hesitated, seemed to think carefully over the answer. Finally, he settled with a "that's what Father thinks."

"That's what Father thinks?"

"Aye."

"And he is right?"

"I hope so. Because from what I gather," Elrohir watched his brother turn fully to face him, brows creased in a frown and concern clear in his eyes, "the other option is impossible."

Elrohír didn't know what to say. In fact, he didn't even know what to think. How did those deaths tie with the Woods Incident? And what about the Footsteps Incident? Were they related at all? Could anyone have had a similar incident?

"Elrohír? Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. It's just," He gestured vaguely around him as if he was going to say more but resigned himself to a tired sigh. "Do you think they know we were listening?"

"I don't think so. Even though you were making an awful lot of noise."

Elrohír nodded. "Come, brother, let's see if there's still food for us in the kitchen." He got up, stretched and offered Elladan his best fake smile, "I heard they were making lemon cake for dessert."

His brother was not to be fooled.

"Elrohir?"

"Yes?"

"It's going to be alright. _We are going to be alright."_

"I know."

Elladan smoothed his tunic and followed his brother out of the door and toward the kitchens.

"Now, what was that again about lemon cakes?"

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_"Regrets collect like old friends_

_Here's to relive your darkest moments_

_I can see no way, I can see no way_

_And all of the ghouls come out to play"_

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**N/A: Reviews?**


	7. Chapter 7-The Wolf

_**N/A: Omg I'm really sorry about the delay, but once again college and life and everything got in the way. I'm not really happy about this chapter, it kinda feels like a filler but I couldn't really write it any other way.**_

_**Well, i hope you'll like it anyway. **_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Everything else belongs to Tolkien. All hail Tolkien.**_

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_"She lazily gazed at the elf in front of her. He had looked so miserable when walking in the room that one would think he was walking to his own execution. She wondered if it could be hers._

_She wondered if he would ever say whatever he had to._

_She wondered if she had enough room in her to care. ( Grief and sorrow claimed a lot of space. )_

_Maybe if she just ignored him, he would go away. _

_"You are from the Avari Kingdom, right?"_

_She nodded slowly, carefully, swallowing down the bitter lump in her throat and holding in the tears threatening to spill._

_"I-I am afraid I come bearing grieving news, then." She watched him fidget uncomfortably, eyes fixed on the wall behind her, "The fire, it spread too fast, burned a large part of the forest and..."_

_"And?"_

_Her voice was weak and cracked from her sickly state and the whirlwind of emotions raging on her chest, almost too low to hear, but the blonde elf snapped his gaze back to her, surprise clear in his blue eyes. It was the first time she spoke since she had awoken._

_"... and King Arheldîr's lands were devastated as well. I'm sorry."_

_The world began to crumble, Arda trembled and cracked open before her to swallow the sun and moon and stars and reality. Light faded and silence screamed and shrieked._

_She stared at the newly opened abyss and it stared back at her with mad hungry eyes and she fell. She fell and fell and fell. She fell through the darkness and toward the dark. It was bottomless and endless. _

_"And what has become of the King and his family?"_

_Falling, falling, falling._

_"Presumed dead. I'm really sorry, my lady."_

_She reached the end and it broke her._

_It broke her in a million pieces, sharp and ugly and scattered all around the floor. The elf should not come closer, lest he end up hurt._

_She was a million sharp, misfitted pieces piled together._

_Everyone was dead._

_"What is your name, my lady? Your face is familiar but I cannot recall from where."_

_Familiar, yes, she knew where. Or rather when. She could recall a young blonde little prince trailing behind the Great King Thranduil inside her father's Throne Room. She had been even younger than him but she remembered._

_The forest remembered._

_"I used to be Nínim, daughter of Arheldîr, Crown Princess of the Moonlit Woods."_

_The world forgets but The Woods remember. _

_And if the Woods are gone, she would remember in their place._

_The world forgets but she would remember._

_"The Princess! What are the odds! But I grieve with you, my princess, for your kin was kind to us all and we held your family dear to our heart. But we shan't forget that they are in Lord Mandos' hall now, in a better place than they had ever been."_

_"I thank you for your kindness, my prince."_

_And if her voice was detached and flat he did not comment on it. He knew better than that._

_He looked at her and saw a survivor._

_She knew better._

_She looked at herself and saw a million sharp pieces who did not fit._

_She saw a ghost of what once was, of days that would soon fade away from history._

_But it was fine._

_The world forgets but she would remember._

_**.**_

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_**.**_

( _Once upon a time there was a King. He was fair and just and noble and everyone loved him. He was married to a beautiful and lovely and gentle Queen who was also loved by everyone._

_Everything was perfect._

_Everybody was happy in their lovely kingdom._

_The King and the Queen had a child._

_A little pretty baby princess who was loved by everyone._

_As soon as she was born everyone thought she would be a perfect ruler like her parents._

_But then an evil sorcerer came._

_He was evil and bitter and hated all pretty things. _

_And he sent his minions all around the world to make chaos and destroy all that was good and pretty._

_So the King and the Queen, fearing the Evil Sorcerer, prohibited the Princess to ever leave their borders._

_And everything was perfect in their lovely kingdom until it wasn't anymore._

_Because, you see, a happy ending is just a matter of perspective. )_

_**.**_

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_**.**_

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In many ages to come, after a hundred of thousands of years, after the time of the elves is long over, after the existence of all magical creatures is but fairytales, and Arda has changed many times, one brave man will say that God is dead. ( _he'll say a whole lot of other brave things too and go a bit crazy, but this is not his story )_

_( God is dead. _)

This one phrase will not be uttered until much, much later and it will mean much, much more than those three words. It will be debated and despised for decades, it will inspire many young souls and enrage many old priests.

_( God is dead_ )

But in that particular September morning, with the sky covered with grey-ish clouds and the wind howling and blowing away the first fallen leaves, this rather philosophical sentence was stubbornly repeating itself in the mind of one not remarkably brave she-elf.

_Eru is dead and the Valar have forsaken us_.

It was a bitter and depressing thought for such an hour of such a morning.

September,24th had started as an ordinary day, the kind of day that does not drag itself to end but does not hurry away either, the kind of day that you indulge yourself in sleeping in because whatever the day has in store for you can surely wait, the kind of day that fades away in the long string of days in a lifetime.

But even if September 24th had started as such a plain day, it would not end so ordinary.

Actually, a most important discovery was to happen in September 24th because some elves would refuse to do what they're told and others would not know when to mind their own damn business.

In fact, September 24th started out as a mostly indifferent day but things were about to change and set out a chain of events so dark that would be best left forgotten. ( _but as someone once said over a mug of steaming coffee in the morning after a bad dream, the nightmares are the ones we remember best. )_

But as it is, the fore-mentioned she-elf was having a depressing contemplative moment in her chamber, thinking over old resentments and feeling remarkably bitter.

_( Eru is dead and the Valar have forgotten us. )_

Had she not been so rudely interrupted, she would have expanded that thought in a solid argument or speech. But alas, her door was indeed thrown open to reveal a rather enraged elf.

"_I just can't believe him!" _Olochen marched inside without any ceremony, "_I'm done!"_

"Why," the _elleth _did not rise from her bed, only turning her head to glare at the intruder instead and speak in an overly sweet tone, "do come in, _mellon nin."_

"Spare me your sarcasm, Raunín. I'm in no mood for it."

The elf in question was tempted to bark another remark but thought better of it, settling for a sigh and sit up straighter, steeling herself for what seemed to be a long and difficult rant from her friend. "Do tell me then, what has put you in such a sour mood?"

"That _so-called _wise elf! I'll tell you, he is but a _bloody-"_

"Now, now. There is no need for swearing."

" _Fine." _Olochen glared at the _elleth _before resuming his heated argument. "He is an _arrogant-"_

"Olochen, my friend, I haven't the slightest idea as to why you _dislike _Lord Elrond so strongly." Raunín crossed her legs and made herself more comfortable, "You'll have to explain yourself beyond a string of curses, I'm afraid."

"I'll tell you from the beginning, then." the distraught elf captain sighed and pulled a chair from the desk. "_It started with a very bad idea..."_

( _it actually started with someone calling his name while he carved a piece of wood in the shape of a wolf, but as it always happens with such small moments, it blurred away with the rest of the day and the captain now had no way of remembering it )_

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_"September 20th, 11:43 pm_

"I'm bored."

"Well, Daeron," Olochen leaned back in his chair and looked vaguely amused at the elf seated in front of him, " you are _always _bored. So, really, there's nothing new there."

"That's not true." The elf, Daeron, pouted and tried to glare at his captain. He was a tall red-haired warrior who had voluntered to accompany the small party to Imladris two weeks ago; but he was also very young, and as all young creatures had too much energy and not enough patience. Daeron had imagined that _The Mission_ (_ it was always captalized in his mind ) _would be full of action and battles and heroic deeds. Well, when it turned out to be a rather ordinary walk through woods and roads and with the most intersting event being a run-in with some idiotic orcs, it was needless to say the warrior had been thoroughly disappointed.

Also, thoroughly bored.

"Stop pouting. It is unbecoming of a warrior. Or any mature elf for that matter."

"But Olochen, I'm _bored!" _Olochen rolled his eyes at the younger elf dramatic gesturing and took another swing of the wine.

"The kid's going crazy 'til the end of the week, I say." the elf at Olochen's right, Saeldur, snorted from behind his own ( _but not his first ) _bottle. He was the oldest of their five-elves party, one of the few born in the second age, and, despite his frequent dry remarks, adored to tell tales of a past which seemed to grow more and more epic every time he told them._"_The mission wasn't as exciting as you thought, eh kid?"

"_I'm not a kid!" _Daeron protested as Olochen and Alyan, the last elf of their group, snorted.

"Sure thing, kiddo," Alyan smirked and downed the rest of his bottle, "Isn't it past your bed time already?"

"You're all idiots." the young elf scowled and crossed his arms. "Idiots and unamusing."

"Ha! Heard that, Alyan?" Saeldur laughed and proceeded to open another casket of wine, "We ain't funny enough for the kid!"

"_Damn_! How am I going to live now?!"

"Now, cut it out, you two." Olochen mildly chastisised the two older _ellyn, _allowing silence to prevail on the table for a full minute before adding with a cheeky grin "You shouldn't pick on little kids."

Daeron cursed loudly, throwing his hands up in the air exhasperated as the other three fell in a fit of laughter. "Bloody hell, even you, Olochen?"

"Sorry, buddy, but you make it too easy!"

"Whatever. I'm still bored."

"Which brings us back to the start. You're always bored."

"You can hardly blame me, Alyan. You said it yourself often enough."

"And there lays the difference between you and me, Ginger. Often enough isn't always. I'm not the annoying one."

"No, you're the boring one."

"Prat."

"Idiot."

"Jerk."

"Oaf."

"Methinks we can safely assume you both are fools."

"Olochen, Saeldur is being mean again!"

"Bah. Stop whining, kid."

"Olochen, Saeldur is still being mean to me!"

"Well, you can do something about it yourself. I'm not your babysitter."

"Alyan, Olochen is being mean to me!"

The mentioned elf groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Alyan wasn't as tall as his companions and only slightly older than Daeron, with whom he spent the entirety of the journey bickering and, even if he would never admit it, ended up becoming friends. The pair was an odd sight to behold, one tall with bright red-hair and the other shorter with silvery blond locks, always arguing about anything and everything but attached to the hip nonetheless.

"My friends," Daeron announced suddenly with a shit-eating grin, "I've got the most _amazing _idea."

"I'm scared. Is anybody else scared? I'm scared." Alyan vaguely wondered if he was drinking a tad bit too much, but as all drunken people, shrugged and grabbed another bottle.

Daeron pointedly ignored him, "We shall play a drinking game!"

Three pairs of eyes stared at the red-headed in disbelief.

"That's stupid. Go sleep, kid."

"Saeldur's right, Ginger. We can't."

"You lot are _so _not fun!" Daeron glared, "We are already drinking anyway, it would be only adding a little fun to our current situation!"

"I don't know, it could land us some trouble." Olochen furrowed his brow in concentration. He was trying to think of all the reasons they should _not _do it, but all the liquor he had consumed was now clouding his mind and dangerously wavering his resistence.

"Aww, you used to be fun, Olochen! Whatever happened to you?"

"Daeron, I know what you are doing. Stop. It's not going to work. Quit it.!"

"But I'm not doing anything!"

"Yes, you are. You're doing that... puppy-eyed... face... thing."

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.

"Is there a reason why you are telling me this oh, so interesting tale of your past evening?" Raunín yawned. She had been waiting for a rant about the meeting, not a recollection of her friends's drunken stupidity. Did she look like a bloody diary? " Because honestly, I can't see how this explains your mood _ now. _And most important, how come you've been playing drinking games _without me? "_

"I'm getting there. Be patient. All in good time." Oloche glared at his friend but couldn't keep the fond smile out of his face, not when her indignant inquiry had brought back the memories of wintery nights, when the sea was crashing against the shore and the wind was howling outside, one of the rare ocasions when the temperature hit low enough for snowflakes to float down the sky and a thin white blanket to cover the fields. Memories of nights spent with liquor to fight off the cold and friends to fight off the melancholy of the season. Memories of laughter and _home. "_It was, you see, a night for us, brave warriors, only. No damsel allowed, sorry."

_"_Say it, you all knew I would win."

_"_Damn it, you got me."

_"_Besides, I am no damsel in distress like those stupid child tales. If anything, I'm the _distress_ itself. I'm the goddamn damsel that was locked in the tower because I was trouble for the village and was now plotting my vengeance against my enemys while lounging in my throne made out of the shining armor of the foolish knights who tried to rescue me."

_"_And what of the dragon?"

_"_There's no dragon in this tale."

_"_There's always a dragon guarding the tower."

"Aren't you finishing your story?"

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.

_"I have never ever had my sword stolen by a seagull!" _ Saeldur's slurred words sounded all jumbled together, a result of the last two hours they had spent drinking, but that didn't wipe off the satisfied smirk out of his face nor the boisterous laughter of the others as Olochen scowled and swallowed another shot.

_" Oooh man! _I wanna hear this! You gotta tell me about this!" Daeron laughed and pleaded with Saeldur. If one wanted a story, one should ask the elder.

_" _I second that!" Alyan frowned at his empty cup before slamming it against the table. "We shall call it '_The Seagull Incident'."_

"Don't you dare, Saeldur." The captain tried to threaten despite the fit of giggles bubbling up inside him. That story _was _funny."I'm going to murder you and hide the body if you do, you know I will."

"I'd like to see you try, captain"

"I find your lack of respect disturbing."

"You find a lot of things disturbing, captain. _Sir._"

Olochen opened his mouth to reply, he had a whole speech ready for this moment. Saeldur needed to know who was in command there. He needed to understand the hierarchy. Or something along those lines. Olochen opened his mouth to reply because he had a whole speech ready for this moment but it was not be. The words were still in his throat when Daeron suddenly spoke up.

"I want that." His voice was flat and distant, glassy eyes fixed in his captain.

"What are you talking about now?" Olochen snapped, because _how dare him interrupt him like that? _

"The wolf," The young elf rose from his chair and pointed a small wolf carved out of wood halfway out of the captain's pocket. "I want it."

"Well, too bad. You can't have it."

"And why is that?" Daeron's face was contorted in a angry scowl. He felt a hot rage brewing deep in his chest. _That stuck up elf, always thinking he's better than us. _

_"_Because," Olochen stood up, matching the other's stance, his voice dangerously calm, "I said so."

"Well, that's not a real reason, is it?"

"I am your captain and I say it is." _None of them respects me, none follow me._

_"_Well then why don't we decide this on the courtyard?" The young elf's hand flew to the hilt of his sword. It was time someone taught Olochen a lesson. Someone more capable of handling a mission. Someone younger. Someone like him. After all, he _did _deserve the position more than Olochen. "_Captain."_

"Don't be ridiculous. It's too dark outside."

"Do you fear losing, coward?"

Olochen lunged forward and knocked them both to the ground. His mind seemed felt fuzzy and volatile as he landed a punch straight to Daeron's nose. The elf had _asked _for it. He had been disrespectful and stupid and insubordinate. _Unacceptable._

"Whatever is going on here?"

Perhaps if he had been paying more attention, Olochen would have heard Lord Elrond approaching the room. Perhaps if he had not been so drunk, he would have _cared_ that _Lord Elrond was approaching the room. _But alas, some things are meant to happen.

"Well?"

Olochen rolled off Daeron and unsteadly got to his feet. He looked around the room, surveying the knocked off chairs, the broken casket of wine, the red liquid pooling all around the floor and for a second Olochen thinks he smells copper and sees himself on the floor, the red pool growing around him, but then someone clears their throat uncomfortably and the fire burns just a little brighter and it's gone. It's just another fallen chair drenching in wine. Just a trick of the light, a dream from the alcohol. Olochen shakes his head, shakes himself, shakes the vision out of his system and pretends he sees clearer now. He thinks of what to say, wrecks his mind in search of an answer but comes out empty handed. Whatever is going on there? He doesn't know. He is not sure why he fought Daeron, actually, he is not sure why _no one _stopped them.

"Well, did you lose your tongues? Or are you too intoxicated to form sentences?" Elrond sounded positively furious. Olochen couldn't quite blame him, they _had _wrecked the room and drunk a _lot_. But the elven lord didn't have to be this rude, did he?

"There was a bit of a... _situation _here." Olochen started speaking slowly, brows knitting in concentration, willing himself not to slur, not to stumble. "But it has been dealt with. Mostly."

"Mostly?" Elrond raised an eyebrow in disbelief and the captain winced at how angry the lord sounded. They were in for some deep trouble. "Then let me tell you something, _Captain. _This _behavior _will _not _be tolerated in this house. Should another _situation _arise, I will ask you to leave my lands and to _not come back."_

"Are you threatening us?" Saeldur spoke up from somewhere on his right. Olochen was vaguely aware that his companions, even Daeron, had positioned themselves around him in a defensive stance.

"No, I am merely _advicing _you"

And with that Elrond was gone from the room, leaving the four elves for themselves. "

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.

"So, let me see if I got this right," Raunín was now sprawled across her bed, chin in her hands. "You morons decided to play a drinking game that somehow evolved into a drunken brawling and now Lord Elrond is justifiably upset with you, which led to you being angry with him and barging in my room yelling profanities?"

"That is... actually, that is pretty much it, yes." Olochen had the decency to look mildly embarassed, now that the anger had left his body. "Althought, I would phrase it a bit differently. It sounds bad when you say it like that."

"Well, it is bad."

"Not _that _bad. Anyway, we're leaving tomorrow morning."

"Oh, I assume Lord Elrond did meet with you, even after you thoroughly embarasses yourself?"

"Now you're just being mean!" Olochen scowled at her, "Yes, he did. It's confidential, though. But it was damn awkward."

Raunín's laughter followed the captain all the way down the hall, and if he was smiling for no aparent reason, well, he would say he had his reasons.

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Everybody thinks everybody always has a choice. It is universaly accepted that you can always decide your own fate by making your decisions. You can weigh the pros and cons, analize every fact and possible outcome, and then choose what you think is best.

But sometimes, sometimes you don't really have a choice. Sometimes the universe throws you into a situation without giving you a say in the matter. Or sometimes there is no right choice, only bad and worse. Or sometimes you can't choose differently, not with good conscience.

Sometimes you have a choice but _not really._

Therefore, in that very September 24th evening, when the twins burst into her room ( _goddamn deja vu ), _Raunín never had a choice, not really.

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_"Shelter, you better keep the wolf back from the door_

_He wanders ever closer every night_

_And how he waits, baying for blood_

_I promised you everything would be fine"_


	8. Chapter 8- Soldier On

**Hey everybody, here is another chapter and a big thank you to all those who reviewed!**

**Also, a big thanks to guest **_**Aquafin**_**, I'm glad you liked this story and I'll try to update faster, but I can't make any promises, college **_**is **_**taking most of my time.**

**Now, on with the story:**

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Time is a funny thing.

One second can stretch out to a lifetime, to infinite, or to less than the blink of an eye; it all depends on who you are asking.

That particularly common September morning, while Raunín was holed up in her room, before Olochen barged in, before she listened to his story, before she started packing, _before_, there was the Twins.

If you asked Elladan and Elrohír, September 24th has come to an end before they even blinked. Or thought it through.

It had been two days after Elladan arrived. Three days since the Incidents started_.( One month since the deaths started, but they did not know that at the time )_

Elrohír had been restless all night, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. It was like looking at a puzzle with a missing piece but not knowing _where._ How do you fix something when you don't know what is broken?

It felt like nothing and everything was off.

It was the way the air seemed too dry at times, or the way the birds seemed to fly away more often than not, or the way the shadows seemed to _stare _at you or the way you could feel eyes burning at the back of your head and almost hear heavy brething at your neck when you're walking alone in the hallway but you turn around and you're still alone.

It was the little things.

And Elrohír wasn't the only one noticing it. He noticed the little things and he also noticed how elves seldom walked around the gardens alone anymore, how they quickened their steps when they found themselves on their own in the maze of corridors, how the smiles never reach the eyes. An omnimous atmosphere seemed to have crept and settled upon them.

It was like watching a storm brewing, the eerie moments before it falls when you know it's there, you see the dark clouds gathering and the lightinings striking, you feel the buzz in the air and the quietness in the forest, as if the world was bracing itself for what was coming. You see all of the signs but you can't really prepare for it. You can close your windows and you can lock your doors, but you can't keep the rain from falling.

_( No matter how hard you try, you can't keep everyone inside and dry. )_

It was an unconscious reaction, Elrohír realised, the way people were acting. Their subconscious noticed the metaphorical storm lurking at the corner of their eyes and set off some primal instinct to survive, to prepare them the best they could; they were closing their windows and locking their doors.

But would it be enough? When they didn't even know what the threat was?

"Elrohír?"

The elf jerked his head up from where he was lying on his bed, blinked a few times to chase away the confusion of being suddenly dragged out of his thoughts. "Elladan? Is that you?"

"Aye," the older twin nodded jerkily and leaned wobbly against the door. In the pale moonlight coming from the window, Elladan seemed unnaturaly white, sweat glistening in his forehead, his dark hair damp and plastered along his face and Elrohír could swear his brother's voice had never sounded so shaken, "were you sleeping, _hanar?_"

"Nay, what happened to you?" Elrohír asked horrified as he sat up and made room for him on the bed. "Elladan?" He frowned as his brother didn't move from his spot on the threshold. "_Hanar? _Are you alright?" Elrohír gave up talking and walked up to the other elf, " 'Dan? Say something, you're scaring me?"

Elladan winced as his brother reached for his arm, but his eyes seemed to snap and focus on Elrohír, "It was _awful,_ 'Ro. It wasn't, it wasn't _just a nightmare. _It felt _real. _It felt like a _memory. _"

Elrohír let out a sigh in relief, nightmares he could deal with, " 'Dan, if you're having nightmares about _ammë _again-"

"_It's not ammë!" _Elladan snapped at his brother in _Quenya_, "_It's not that it's not that it's not-"_

Apparently elves could have panic attacks, Elrohír thought with dismay, and his brother was working himself to one. "_Hey, it's fine brother, everything is going to be alright. Come, sit with me and tell me what happened."_

It was almost easy, falling back to _Quenya_.

Elladan had always been better with languages but this particular idiom had come naturally to Elrohír, it had felt more like remembering than learning, every word ressonating deep in his bones. They had had the classes a long time ago, when they truly were only elflings, when they knew next to nothing about their history, when they couldn't understand why they were learning a dead language when _Sindarin_ was spoken everywhere; but even then, deep inside, it felt right speaking those old, strange words. It called to them, and soon it started to seep in their day-to-day vocabulary; _adar _turned into _atar, nana _turned into _ammë_, _muindor _turned into _hanar_, and everytime they were under stress they would slip up and abandon _Sindarin _altogether, like a tired mind falling back to a mother tongue. But then a few years passed and they learned about history, about their heritage, and everything made sense, it all clicked into place_. ( it feels right because it is in our blood, brother. It is our birthright. )_

"_Elladan? What did you dream about?" _Elrohír said slowly, trying to calm his brother. _"Do you want to speak about it?"_

"_It didn't feel like a dream, brother." _Ellada shook his head hysterically, " _It felt like a memory, as if I was remembering it, it felt too real, too real."_

"_It's alright, it's alright," _he kep his voice soft, soothing, as he draped a blanket around his brother's shoulders, "_ now tell me what you saw."_

"_It was dark, it was so dark and cold, it was devoid of any warmth. It was a cave, I think. Yes, yes, a cave. A cave and there was water dripping, all the time, it echoed all around me, I couldn't know where it came from, it echoed everywhere. I was lying on the ground, I was waking up there. The first thing I noticed was the smell, it was disgusting, it smelt like decay and rotten things and putrid things. I- I looked around but it was too dark to see anything and so cold and the water kept dripping and dripping and dripping somewhere, everywhere. I got up and- and my leg, my leg hurt like fire, but I went on and on through the cave, I had to know where the water was, I had to stop it, I just had to make it stop dripping, you know? It was driving me crazy, because it echoed everywhere. I had to make it stop, I had to make it stop. So I kept walking and walking and walking and I knew I was on the right direction because it kept getting louder and louder and louder and- _

_And then I found it. I found the dripping water, I found it and I wish I didn't, because- oh Eru, I wish I didn't."_

Elladan began rocking back and forth, his grip on the blanket tightening and eyes glassing over, his breath quickened, on the edge of hyperventilating. Elrohír swore loudly and resumed his mantra of " _it's going to be alright, it's fine, it's going to be alright, it's fine,"._

_"No, you don't understand, brother. I found the dripping water, I found it, only it wasn't water." _the younger twin swallowed hard as his brother stared at him with haunted eyes, "_It was blood, brother. It was blood dripping down to a pool of more blood. And then I thought, if it is dripping, it has to be dripping from somewhere, blood doesn't just fall from the sky. So I raised my eyes to the ceiling of the cave. There, right in the middle of the ceiling there was this huge stalactite. And tied there, with a huge cut in each of her wrists, was that girl, the girl we met yesterday, the one from the Havens, I think. She was tied there to the ceiling bleeding out. But it gets worse, I couldn't look anymore, it was too horrifying, so I lowered my eyes, and looked around the cave. And then I saw It. Someone, something, in the other side of the pool, was drinking it. The creature was crouched there and making this nauseating sound of gurging and it echoed inside my head because they were drinking the blood from the pool of blood. And beyond it, piling against the wall, there were dead bodies. Dozens of them. That was where the smell came from. The dead, decaying pile of bodies behind the creature who was drinking the blood from the pool of blood. And then, it was too dark for me to really see the creature, but, but It saw me. It snapped his head up and, and his eyes glowed in the dark, and they were looking at me. I couldn't see It clearly, but I just knew, I just knew, It was looking right at me. And then I felt terrified, it was a fear so strong I just couldn't move, I was frozen with panic and all I could think was how it was my fault Ammë left us, how I could have done more to heal her. Then I closed my eyes and everything stopped. The dripping stopped and the sick gurging sound stopped. All noises died out and I woke up. I woke up but I could feel it. The dread and the cold fear running through my veins. And I could feel It, I could feel that glowing eyes watching me."_

Elrohír exhaled heavily as his brother finished his story, "_It was just a nightmare, brother. A really awful, horrific and distastefully creative one, but a dream all the same." _he patted his brother on the back and felt relief flood inside him when Elladan stopped shivering and rocking. "_There isn't anything to worry about.."_

"_Brother, I have had enough nightmares to know one. And whatever this was, it wasn't a nightmare."_

"_It has to be one. What else could it be?"_

"_Brother, just because you don't like the alternative, it doesn't make it any less true."_

Elrohír sighed and glared at his brother but the effect was lost as he smiled relieved, Elladan seemed better now, color back at his face, eyes less sunken and composure regained. Whatever had affected him was gone now, the hysteria had vanished.

_"Elladan, it is the middle of the night. It is no hour for talking of things like this. Why don't we discuss this in the morning?"_

_"Fine, it's for the better, I guess. Discuss this with a clear head, and besides," _a smirk spread across the older twin's face, "_your Quenya sucks."_

_"Fuck off, idiot." _Elrohír playfully shoved his brother out of the bed and plopped back in the mattress. "_I can still swear just fine."_

Elladan only rolled his eyes and made room for himself in the bed, it was a tight fit ( _they weren't elflings anymore, were they? ) _and Elrohír could still see the lines of worry in his brother's brow, but it was all right, the moon was still in the sky and they had a few hours until they would have to deal with it.

_._

_._

_._

_"_Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?"

Elladan glared at his brother, he had managed a few hours of sleep after the Incident with the Dream ( _it was an awful name alright, but he was workin_g _on it ) _and had woken up feeling slightly better but Elrohír's constant asking the same question over and over _was _beginning to try his patience. "Yes, 'Ro, for the hundredth time, _yes_, I _am _sure it wasn't a dream and when you ask it again in the next five minutes, I will still be sure."

_"_Fine, fine," the younger elf raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "just making sure."

He grunted in response and pinched the bridge of his nose, a surge of guilty flaring up, it wasn't Elrohír's fault his annoyance. _But he's not exactly helping either. " _I'm lost here as much as you are. I don't know what it meant or why it happened. I just know it did and it scared the shit out of me."

"We should speak with _Atar. _He will know what it was."

"Nay, he's too busy with these elves from the Havens running around here. I heard there was some sort of incident last night. I bet he would simply say it was a bad dream or a result of my guilty mind and _you should talk about it Elladan_ and _you need to work on your issues, Elladan._" the older twin scowled, "Well, I'm working just fine on my damn imaginary issues and it was no goddamn dream. So, no, we should _not _talk with _Atar._"

He watched Elrohír open his mouth, close it, shake his head, open again. "You know, you have about fifty freaking issues just in that argument but right now? I'm not touching it with a ten foot pole."

Elladan only gave his brother the death look and pulled the food tray to his side of the small table. They had made a quick trip to the kitchens as soon as they had woken up, and brought enough food to feed at least five grown elves. He poked his oatmeal around, he wasn't really hungry, his head was spinning with ideas and theories. Every time he thought he was pulling the right thread he only ended up with more questions.

"You said it felt more like a memory, right?" Elrohír said slowly, setting his fork down.

"Yes, but no." Elladan struggled to find a way to phrase it, "It felt like when you get a concussion, you remember how it happened,but in a dettached sort of way. You see yourself there, being hit, you feelt it, but you're not really there." He stopped and looked up at his brother, "Does that make any sense?"

"Was it any other elf, no." Elrohír sounded serious, face solemn, and Elladan felt his stomach twist into knots. "But you're not any other average elf. You are our father's son, Elladan."

"I don't think I'm following." _I'm our father's son? What does that even mean?_ "If you're talking about our having _edain_ blood in our veins, I don't think it has anything to do with the dream."

_"_No, I don't believe it either." Elrohír shook his head, "Remember when we were elflings and that huge party of Lothlorien arrived?"

_"Aye, _they were rather nice to us." Elladan looked puzzled at his brother. He couldn't, for the life of himself, understand why this piece of memory was important or relevant for the matter at hand,"Why?"

_"_Well, remember how _Ata _had known about them a few days before they even sent word to us?"

_"_Yes, he had Erestor organize a small ball for them."

"And remember how we couldn't understand how he knew it?"

"_Yes, _Elrohír. I remember the whole thing. We even asked Erestor about it." Elladan snapped as confusion was replaced by anger inside him, they had some sort of mess in their plates and Elrohír was freaking _reminiscing._ "Now, can we go back to my freaky dream thing?"

"It will make sense in a second, I promise." the younger twin gulped down his juice deliberatly slowly before resuming talking, "Now, remember what Erestor said?"

"Yes, _hanar. _He told us all about how _Atar _had a gift, he had visions. Glimpses of the future."

_"_Or, how Erestor called it at the time, paragraphs of stories yet to be written," Elrohír paused, probably for a more dramatic effect, "_memories yet to be made._"

If he wasn't so stunned, Elladan would've probably rolled his eyes at how pleased with himself his brother looked. But alas, he was indeed _very_ stunned, and admitedly frightened, with the prospect of his dream ( _nightmare ) _being a vision of the future.

"See, it makes so much sense that I wonder how could we never think of this before." Elrohír went on, obviously side-tracked and excited with the new subject, "Why would we think our heritage would only be a dead language and _edain _blood? Now that I think of it, it _is _pretty obvious that his gifts would be passed on to us. We worry so much about making the right choice when the time comes that we totally forgot all the rest and-"

_"_Elrohír?"

"- do you think I can see the future too? Because it would be awesome, just imagine-"

"_Elrohír."_

"Aye?"

"This is _terrible._" Elladan pushed away the food tray and rested his head on the table with a pained moan.

"No, you mean it's _awesome_, right?" the younger twin leaned over his small table to poke his brother with his fork, "_Hanar_, you can see the _future_. How cool is that?!"

"Elrohír," he stared in disbelief at his brother, " you are missing the point here. Have you forgotten what was the supposed vision?"

"_Shit._"

"Very eloquent." Elladan glared at the younger elf. To be fair, he wished he had forgotten it too. He'd trade his new founded gift for never seeing it come true anytime. He wasn't friends with the _elleth_ and barely knew her, but that didn't mean he would wish such a fate for her. Just remembering it made him shudder, even in broad daylight. "But yes, _shit._"

"What are we going to do?" Elrohír's voice wavered slightly and Elladan was suddenly hit with how young he looked. They were always trying to prove how much they'd grown that they had forgot it themselves how young they actually were. "I mean, we can't let it happen right?"

"No, we can't." he rubbed his eyes and breathed deeply. He was the older and supposedly more responsible one of them. He couldn't let the hopelessness he saw in his brother's eyes get to him. "But I think," Elladan hesitated for a second before getting up, a determined look in his features, " I think we need to figure out what the creature was. And fast, we're going against the clock. I don't know how far in the future it was, but I bet it wasn't far enough. Let's go."

"Sounds like a plan." Elrohír stuffed his mouth with what food was left and cleaned his table. With a solid goal on his mind, a sense of calm seemed to have washed over him, his usual confidence back in his eyes. "Lead the way, brother."

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.

.

"Are you sure we're on the right section?" Elladan picked a book from the shelf and started flipping through the pages, " Because honestly, I don't think _The book of medicinal herbs and how to use them_, _revised edition _is in any way relevant to our situation."

Elrohír paused, glanced up and then set his book down with a sigh, "Really, Elladan? Really? Of course it is important! What if we were lost in the woods, uh? Completely cut off from any kind of healing care, uh? What were you going to do then?"

Elladan did not dignify that with an answer, but his eyebrows did raise up to his hairline in a very eloquent manner, translating his incredulity quite well to his brother.

"Well it _could _happen!" The younger twin flailed his arms arms around, "_Then _you are going to thank me"

"All right, let's say you are right for one second, even then this was written in the _second age_. In _Lindon_." Elrohír opened his mouth to retort but his brother raised one hand to silence him and pressed on, "So, unless we go back in time and get stranded in some woods in Lindon, _no, _this book will _not_ be of any help."

"Well, it could still happen."

"Maybe," Elladan agreed, "If we lived in some sort of book or song."

"Have you _seen_ our lives? The captain of our guard is an elf who was literally _brough back from the dead, _our father can _see the future_ and our worst problem is a _dark lord with a magic ring."_

"Don't say it like that. You make it sound silly when it's not."

Elrohír enthusiasm deflated at the look in his brother's face. He was right. It wasn't silly, not at all. Their mother would never have left because of something silly.( _It was awful and unfair and terrible and evil_. )

"We were supposed to be looking for texts on dark creatures." Elladan murmured softly. Returning his book in the shelf, he searched for anything possibly related on the subject. " This could take hours, days even. We don't have the time."

"But we don't have much of a choice. We can't let it-"

"Can I help you, my lords?"

While Elladan's only signal that he had been been startled was a slight faltering of his fingers on one of the books, Elrohír made a strangled noise and tripped on himself, falling to the ground.

"By the _Valar!_ Don't _do _that! Do you want to scare me to _death, _Lindir?" The younger twin rasped out in between pants as he clutched his racing heart.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I assure you my intentions were not to kill either you or your brother."

Elrohír merely waved his apology away from where he was laying on the ground. He had his eyes closed and body sprawled across the aisle, arms pillowing his head. The sound of Elladan laughing somewhere behind him and Lindir poorly disguising a snort in a fit of cough made him grin. He was peering one eye open to regard the older elf when an idea struck him.

Elrohír liked Lindir, both of the twins did. Actually, it was virtually impossible _not _to like the elf. Lindir was the kind of person who's shy in the beginning but once he warms up tp you he's the nicest elf in Arda. He can play more instruments Elrohír can count, he can sing more songs Elrohír can count. He is the Head Musician in Imladris who somehow finds time to assist both Erestor and Elrond. And of course the ocasional babysitting duty. He helps everyone and likes everyone. Unless said everyone is a dwarf. Lindir dislikes dwarves with a passion. Elrohír is sure there's a story behind it and someday he is going to find it out because he is also sure it's going to be hilarious and totally worth the trouble.

Anyway, the thing is, Lindir was an incredibly likeable and helpful elf and Elrohír was 97 percent sure he would be able to convince him to help their cause.

"Anywho, do you plan on lying on the ground for very long, brother?" Elladan appeared on his line of vision, amusement glinting in his eyes and a giggle escaping his lips. " Because you know, we do have things to do. _Important things._ "

Elrohír scowled and ignored his brother's extended hand, turning his full attention on the older elf. "You_'_ve known _atar _for a very long time, haven't you Lindir?"

"Yes, yes, I have. My father came to Imladris shortlt after it was built." The reply came hesitantly, Lindir wasn't stupid and he knew the younger twin was up to something and that this whole conversation was a trap. Lindir knew he had to proceed with caution. He knew he was outnumbered. " And I have worked for Lord Elrond since before you were born."

"I thought so. You are also good friends with Erestor, I assume?"

"Well, we've known each other for a very long time. I guess you could say we are friends. If anyone can call themselves friends with Erestor, that is."

Elrohír pondered on this. That was true, Erestor could be rather difficult and downright cryptic when he wanted, which was most of time. "Glorfindel could though."

"Yes, yes, he could. I would've never thought it possible and honestly, I still don't know how it happened, but Glorfindel did manage to become Erestor closest friend." Lindir snorted, "Althought their friendship is quite unusual."

"Aye, their bickering is their way to show they care." Elladan joined the conversation and smiled, "Erestor would never admit it, but he does care."

"Indeed. And you know what? I think he does see you as a friend, Lindir." Elrohír continued, "And I'm also sure he values your opinion on official issues. He does discuss them with you, doesn't he?"

"Well, clearly sometimes, not everything," Lindir stuttered, feeling a lot like he shouldn't be saying this. "But yes, sometimes, when he cannot work out a solution on his own. I mean, a different point of view is always helpful."

"Yes, yes, absolutely." the younger twin agreed vehemetly and ignored his brother's raised eyebrows. Really, if Elladan raised them half an inch more, they would probably end up forever lost in his hairline. "So, I noticed Erestor has been a bit troubled lately, hasn't he? Since _atar _came back from the borders. I wonder if he said anything to you?"

Elrohír watched carefully as different emotions flickered through the other elf's eyes. Confusion turned into worry, worry turned into fear, and fear finally turned into suspicion. "I-He has been very busy, that's all." Lindir uttered slowly, "Nothing to worry about."

"Ah, but you see, Elladan and I, we worry. Erestor is family to us, just like you and Glorfindel. And familly always help each other right?"

"Well, yes, of course but-"

"We just want to help him, Lindir. What if it becomes too much and Erestor leaves us too?" Elrohír looked up, eyes wide and teary, scanning the musician's uncertain face. He saw the pity pooling in Lindir's eyes and Elrohír knew he had won. "I can't keep losing people, Lindir."

"Erestor won't leave, don't worry Elrohír! And besides, there is nothing you can do to help. The deathes are already being investigated and Erestor is sure it's no old myth but the work of men." As soon as he spoke, Lindir's brain caught up with his words and his hand shot up to cover his mouth in a futile attempt of stopping himself from spilling anything else.

"Old myth? What old myth?" Elladan eager questions were met mith a guilty silence, "And what do you mean 'work of men'?"

"Why men? Aren't orcs more likely to fall on killing sprees?" Elrohír had dropped all pretenses as his mind raced to string all facts together and come up with a decent theory. "Where were the body found anyway? Are they all elves or are they-"

"Cake? Anyone wants cake? I'm sure the kitchens have plenty left!" Lindir tried somewhat hysterically change the subject, "You know that cake from lunch, it was delicious and I _know _there was leftovers!"

"- men too? And how did they die anyway?" The younger twin ignored the musician and carried on his musings. This new piece of information didn't really narrow down their research, althought it did give them something to work with. That is, if it was really linked to Elladan't vision. "Lindir, we _need _to know. It's a life and death situation here."

"Aye, someone else could die if you don't help us, Lindir." Elladan added gravely, "You are our best chance of finding the answers we need."

"I-I don't think I can discuss this with you, I'm sorry," the musician fidgeted nervously and looked around. He was trapped, somewhere during their talk the twins had moved and blocked his only exit. "It is an official matter and Lord Elrond asked that it was left in secret."

"Lindir, _please._" Elrohír pleaded woth the older elf, this could be their only shot at finding anything about it. "For old time's sake?"

"I- Fine," Lindir caved in at the thought of young elflings running around the hallways, happy laughter resonating in every room. "All I can tell you is that elves are disappearing near our borders and a few bodies have been found nearby. No one knows why or how it happened. But there has been rumors."

"Rumors?" Elladan furrowed his brows, "What rumors?"

"Not exactly rumors. More of a myth, if you will." He continued, "An incredibly old one. About one of the servants of the Dark Lord. A shapeshifter. He was one of the Lieutenants of Morgoth." Lindir paused and looked somberly at the twins, "But it is no more than a myth. Its existence was never proved and even if it was really real, it probably died at the end of the second age. " He sighed and added tiredly, "I don't know what you two are up to and I don't think I want to know. All I'm asking is for you to stay away from this. It's a delicate investigation and could jeopardize our peace with the _edain _settlements near us. So _please, _stay out of this."

Elrohír looked at his brother, they couldn't just _stay out of this_. Not anymore. _( there was no going back. There never was. ). _They had been walking in the sidelines for too long and ended up in the middle of the problem, because deep down they knew, now that they had noticed it, it would notice them in return. Besides, there was no way they could just walk away from something like this, not when there was something they could do to help. Elves were getting killed. Someone's father, child or _mother _were being _murdered._

Elrohír looked at his brother and saw understanding.

_It was no choice at all._

.

_._

_._

"Are we really going to tell her?" Elladan asked. He was well aware that the answer was still going to be the same but he couldn't help wondering if it was the right thing to do. "I mean, how do you go to someone and tell them 'hi, I dreamed about you dying a gruesome and painful death last night. Have a good day, bye.' "

"Well, first off, you don't just do it out of the blue like that," the younger elf glared at his brother, "you say it with a little more tact."

"Somehow I don't think sugarcoating will make it any better. You just don't say this kind of things." Elladan shook his head. All this speculation was based on her believing them, when the most likely outcome was her thinking them crazy or throwing them out of her room. "This is ridiculous."

"She has a right to know. " Elrohír's voice left no room for argument. He had been stubbornly adamant on the matter, dragging a disgruntled Elladan all the way from the library to the wing destined for their guests. "It is literally her life on the line."

"Fine," he conceded, "but if this backfires on our faces, which it most probably will, I'm going to blame you."

As the setting sun filtered through the windows and spread a myriad of colors on the hallways, Elladan was lost in thoughts. His mind kept circling back to his nightmare. It amazed him to no end how his life had taken a sharp turn in less then a week. He knew he should be more frightened, but honestly, they had been in need of something to break them out of their routine. After their mother had passed away their life had consisted in hunting orcs, period. He couldn't stand staying in Imladris too long, it was too peaceful, too still. He couldn't bear how it stayed untouched, untainted, after she left. It shouldn't be like that. Celebrían had been part of their lives for so long, she had been part of _Imladris _itself. She had always cared so much about this land but now she was gone and everything was still the _same._ Elladan couldn't think too much about it because the thought that his mother had been forgotten would break him. So he'd rather leave, avenge her and keep her memory alive. But after so many years he was tired. He wanted a break and now he got it. For the first time in years Elladan saw his brother interested in something else. Elves were dying and they could do something about it, they could save lives.

_( could they? At what price? how naïve had they been )_

"Brother? 'Dan?" Elladan blinked confused as his brother snapped his fingers in front of his face, "You with me?"

"I'm sorry, I zoned out for a bit," he tried to sort out his thoughts, "You were saying?"

"I asked what did you think was going on," Elrohír pointed an open room with travel packs on the bed, "Do you think they're leaving?"

"Did _ata _meet with the captain?" Elladan wracked his brain trying to remember what he heard about it, "The meeting would be this morning, I think?"

"Something like that. They will probably leave tomorrow then." a smirk broke across the younger one's face," I would want to leave soon too after what happened last night."

"These elves are never used to Dorwinion. They should know better than to drink too much of it." They stopped in front of the _elleth's _door, "We're here. We're doing this?"

"Aye," Elrohír raised his hand to knock but let it fall to his side again, "Do you think we should bother her now? I mean, she must be packing."

"More reason to just get on with this. If she leaves, she might die." Elladan tried to swallow around the lump on his throat, "There are several caves between here and the Havens, you know."

"You are right, brother." the young elf again raised his hand just to abort the motion mid air. "How should we proceed with this?"

"Oh, for _Eru'_s sake," Elladan shoved his brother aside, throwing open the door and stepping inside, "Hello there!"

He had always known this was a lousy plan. He just hadn't seen how much. But right now, standing in the middle of the room, Elrohír gaping like a goldfish right behind him and Raunín staring bewildered at them, well, the plan sucked.

"Excuse me?" Raunín seemed to have recovered first and was now glaring daggers at them, "Do you need something?"

"I-We... yes, yes we do, actually, Elrohír here was just going to explain what we do need," he fumbled with his words, Elrohír was never going to be in charge of plans ever again, "right, 'Ro?"

"I am? Yes, sure, right. Well, you see, we are here because... we need to..." the younger twin looked around silently asking for help, "We need to talk with you. Seriously."

"All right," the _elleth_ narrowed her eyes but sat down on the bed, "Go on. I'm listening. Seriously"

The twins exchanged another look, there was no doubt who should break the news. "You know how our father went to patrol our borders?" Elladan waited for her to nod, "So, it wasn't just because Elrohír and I thought something was going on with the orcs. Elves have been disappearing near our borders, bodies have been found. He went to investigate that. We don't know what he found exactly, but the vigent theory is that men are doing this," he stopped to gauge her reaction. She had paled slightly and a pained expression had fallen over her features, her eyes had such a raw sadness that Elladan almost backed off. Almost. " Now that you're aware of the situation, here's why we came-"

"We need your help!" Elrohír suddenly blurted out, a strangled noise following his words, "Yes, we are here to ask you to stay and help us."

Elladan stared at his brother dumbfolded. He couldn't find a good reason for Elrohír's change of heart. "What?"

"Yes, what?" Raunín asked, "Why me?"

"Because..." Elrohír trailed off, trying to come up with a good excuse.

"Because no one else would believe us." Elladan answered, "We don't think it was men attacking all those elves. We think it was something else."

"Something?"

"Yes. Something way worse than humans. And no one would believe us."

"And what makes you think I will?" the _elleth _asked, "for all you knew I could laugh right at your identical faces."

"My first excuse is that desperate times call for desperate measures." Elrohír explained, "My second excuse is that I, _we_, suspect this thing is either having inside help or has found its way in, which narrows down considerably the amount of people we can trust, and if I have to trust any of the newly arrived, well, I'd rather trust you."

"That is... _touching_," she raised her eyebrows. Elladan could almost see the wheels spinning in her head as she searched for the catch in Elrohír's speech. He couldn't really blame her though, even he wasn't sure where that was coming from. "but unfortunely I am leaving tomorrow," her gaze softened and her voice carried a sad hint, "I'm sorry."

"Can't you stay? Only until we find this killer?" Elrohír pleaded, "We really need you to stay."

"I... I don't know," Raunín sounded lost but there was a strange hopeful lilt in her voice that made Elladan frown, "I don't understand how can I be of any help."

"You've been traveling, you lived in the Havens. You must have heard rumors or seen things." Elladan tried to reason, he had a strong feeling that if she crossed the borders, she would be as good as dead, "Together we can find what is going on and convince others to help us. But no one would believe if it were just 'Ro and me."

"I.. I guess I could stay," she agreed hesitantly but her eyes glistened, "Just until we figure this out."

"Deal." Elrohír smiled relieved, sinking in one of the chairs he let some of the tension slip off his shoulders, "We're damned."

"Totally and completely." was the deadpan answer he received from Raunín, although he saw a small smile creep upon her face and the worry dull in her eyes.

"We have no plan," Elladan started as he took a sit as well, "we have no idea what we are looking for."

"And we don't know how to stop it." Elrohír added putting a serious face.

"Or if we can stop it at all." Raunín shrugged.

They stared at each other in silence, accepting the reality of their situation. It stretched out for a full minute before they cracked. Raunín started giggling, Elrohír snorted and Elladan rolled his eyes, soon they were all roaring with laughter.

_( It may have been a bit hysterical and a bit childish, but if anyone asked any of them, they would all say that was the moment it all really began for the three of them )_

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.

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Time is a funny thing.

Or perhaps we are the ones unable to understand it. In a distant future a very clever man will explain that time is not only connected with space but in fact just another way of seeing it. He will also confirm that time is indeed relative. Either way, no one can truly understand it.

It moves steadily forward, without ever stopping, they say. But how can you believe it when you felt it stop and stretch out forever countless times? When you've felt it fly by you in the blink of an eye?

One of the hardest things to believe is that time is the constant and you are the variable. A second is always a second, you are the one holding your breath.

And one of the most heartbreaking things to accept is that time moves always forward, _and so must you._

There is no second choices, no way to change the past, no matter how hard you wish it. Time does not bend to anyone's will. It is neither fair nor unfair, it just is. It existed before any living creature and will keep existing long after life has left this land.

Civilizations will rise and fall but time will stand above it all.

And sometimes you have to learn it the hard way. _They _had to learn it the hard way. They had to find themselves in the end wishing they could go back and make it right to truly understand it.

_( Time is funny but in a tragic, ironic, twisted sort of way )_

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_"Who wants to know all that is gold is rusting?_

_No one will know when seasons cease to change._

_It's the here and now and the love for the sound of the moments that keep us moving."_


End file.
